Darkness Heroine
by zutaraXlover
Summary: Darkness Heroine
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own yu-Gi-Oh! GX or Disney's Anastasia.

The only sound in the room was his breathing, deep and nosier than usual, just as it should be when one is sleeping. He was the only one occupying a bed in the hospital and he was alone except for the boy who sat beside his bed. His eyes watched his sleeping friend although all they wanted to do was close so he could sleep. They began to close again and he blinked hard and shook his head, causing his glasses to slip to the end of his nose. Sighing, Syrus pushed them back up and resumed watching the other boy sleep.

He had no idea what time it was; the darkness outside the window was all the same to him. All he knew was that he had been sitting in the same spot for hours just watching. The others had left so long ago he'd almost forgotten they had been there in the first place. They had promised that they would come back in the morning, and until then he would stay on guard. Although some things were so peaceful now there seemed no cause for alarm…

Suddenly the still form on the mattress twitched. Syrus held his breath, instantly wide awake, and hoped that it wasn't what he thought it was… A minute passed with nothing else happening and he was just about to give a relieved sigh when it happened again, this time drawn out and accompanied by the sleeper's face scrunching up a bit. Syrus leapt to his feet and stood beside the now not peaceful boy as he began to toss and sweat.

"Jaden! Jaden wake up! It's only another nightmare! Jay it's just another nightmare!"

Syrus bit his lip as his calls did nothing, even though he hadn't expected anything to come of them- nothing had the previous times. All he could do is wait until the nightmare drove Jaden awake and stop his friend from hurting himself more. It was agony to just stand and do nothing, just watch his friend like that but finally, with a gasp that shook his entire body, Jaden's brown eyes flew open.

"Stay down!" Syrus cried, swiftly catching hold of Jaden's shoulders and pushing with all his might against the natural reflex that told Jaden to site bolt upright after the nightmare.

He managed to keep Jaden from lifting himself more than three inches from the mattress before pushing him back down again, but even that small action caused some damage. Jaden let out a moan of pain and his arms wrapped loosely around his broken ribs.

"Jaden! Are you alright?"

Syrus tried to keep his voice from shaking. He had seen this happen many times before but in the beginning they had been too late to stop Jaden rising all the way up into a sitting position. In answer to his question, Jaden nodded, his eyes closing again.

"Alright then…"

Syrus wanted to ask, wanted to talk about the nightmare but he knew that Jaden wouldn't speak about it. Within five minutes Jaden was asleep again and Syrus, hearing voices outside, exited the hospital.

"Jeeze Sy, you look terrible."

"Thanks," Syrus replied wearily, too worried about Jaden to pick a fight with Chazz.

Alexis picked up on this and her jaw tightened.

"Sy? What happened?"

"Another nightmare," Syrus replied flatly, lowering his eyes so he didn't have to see the reaction his news caused.

"Another one? That brings the total up to twelve in the past three days!"

"Yea, we know that, Einstein," Chazz shot back at Bastion.

The Ra Yellow scowled and was about to reply with a cutting remark when Zane interrupted.

"Focus you two. This is about Jaden, not your petty arguments."

Bastion and Chazz fell silent instantly, without Zane having to raise his voice above his usual, quiet level.

"Did he manage to sit up again?" Alexis looked worried, and she absently played with a strand of her hair.

"No, I managed to stop his about three inches up."

"But that still caused damage," Bastion added grimly.

Chazz snorted.

"You'd think the Slacker would figure out that he should stay down owing to the fact that he has almost all his ribs broken, a sprained shoulder, a wound the size of Paris on his chest and one the size of London on his size as well as bruises for the entire Africa."

"So somebody's been studying his Geography, eh?"

"He can't help it, Chazz," Alexis said rather hotly, cutting across whatever Chazz was going to Bastion's snide remark. "It's a bodily instinct that he can't fight when he's asleep."

"Chain him down then!"

"Maybe we should chain _you _down an-"

"Hello Chumley," Syrus said loudly, stopping the brewing argument.

"Hey guys," Chumley replied, walking up to where they were standing.

He was still half asleep and this enhanced his resemblance to a Koala Bear even more than usual.

"Where were you? Eating?" Chazz said with a sneer.

"Yea," Chumley replied, not bothering to be embarrassed. "I like, went down to the kitchen and found some licious grilled cheese with Atticus."

Alexis snorted.

"Good one. The only time you'll ever see my brother up before eight is when you give him coffee. And nobody's stupid enough to do that."

There was silence. Chumley shifted uncomfortably. Alexis's eyes widened.

"You gave him coffee?!" She howled.

"Only a little, duh."

A whimper escaped her lips at the thought of her already overactive brother on caffeine. Zane seemed to realize she wasn't playing around as he straightened up from his place against the wall.

"Alright, Chumley and I will go downstairs and calm Atti down Lex, you Chazz and Bastion watch Jaden and let Syrus get some sleep."

He motioned to Chumley to follow him and the two of them headed towards the kitchen, Chumley having to walk rather quickly to keep up with Zane's stride.

"Is he that bad on Coffee?" Bastion questioned.

"You have no idea," Alexis replied, turning and walking into Jaden's room.

Even though Atticus being on caffeine was tiresome, she welcomed it as it drove the real problem to the back of her mind for a while. As Bastion and Syrus stood outside and argued over whether Syrus should go back to the dorm to sleep or whether he could sleep in Jaden's room, she crossed over to his side. He was peaceful now, as though nothing had happened and only the absence of his usual snoring indicated that he wasn't merely sleeping. He suddenly muttered something, but only his head moved before he was peaceful again. Alexis bit her lip as she looked down at her usually lively friend who was now pale and quiet.

"It's not right, Jay. It's just not right."

-x-x-x-

"Should we wake Syrus up?"

Bastion looked over to the small form of the sleeping boy in the armchair.

"No, let him sleep some more," Alexis replied. "It's only eight now, so he's only had three hours of sleep."

Bastion nodded and returned to the breakfast that had been brought for the three in Jaden's room. Alexis was just playing with the food in front of her, listless and uninterested. Bastion watched her silently, knowing what she was going through.

"Chin up. It's Jaden; he's pulled through everything before. Even hospital."

Alexis put down her fork, but still continued staring at her food.

"Yes… but last time it was just a Shadow Duel that put him in here. And last time he didn't have these nightmares…"

Bastion could find nothing to reply to that, knowing she was right. Suddenly voices reached their ears from outside. Three voices that were familiar and that were getting closer accompanied by a slight bumping sound, which sounded oddly like someone was jumping up and down.

"IS that…?" Bastion asked, puzzled.

"Atticus," Alexis replied wearily. "Still on the remains of coffee."

Right on cue her older brother bounded through the door to the hospital room, his trademark grin on his face.

"How's my little sis and her boyfriend this morning?"

Alexis sighed, hiding her smile.

"For the last time, he's _not _my boyfriend. And he'll be doing better if you lower your voice. Him and Syrus are trying to sleep."

"Oh, Sy's still here huh?"

_His grin is almost demonic _Alexis thought, shaking her head.

"We tried to stop him, but he beat us to the stairs," Zane said, entering the room with Chumley in tow.

"I'm guessing it didn't go well with the detoxenating," Bastion said with his eyebrows raised, watching Atticus bounce on the balls of his feet.

"Oh he was a lot worse than this before, Zane replied.

"Yea, it was, like, the strangest thing ever…"

Alexis couldn't help but smirk slightly.

"And the moral of the story is what, Chumley?"

"Duh, no coffee for Atticus."

"I think that's been well established," Bastion said, still watching Atticus with raised eyebrows.

"Hey," Atticus suddenly said. "Where's The Chazz?"

"He got bored and left," Alexis said, sounding sour.

"And we didn't try that hard to stop him," Bastion added with a sniff.

"And Jaden?" Zane turned to Alexis.

"Nothing," she replied. "Only a few mumbles. Otherwise he was completely still."

Everyone turned to watch the sleeping form and even Atticus stopped bouncing.

"It's not right," he said quietly. "Jaden's usually the preppy one. He shouldn't look half like he does now. It's just not right."

"I know," Alexis said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I said that too."

There was silence again as all of them stared at Jaden, each with their own thoughts. He twitched, and they all held their breath, but it turned out to be nothing, not even a mumble of the usual sentence.

"Jeeze, it's like a morgue in here."

The scathing voice announced the return of Chazz who had obviously sneaked in a few more hours of sleep.

"Welcome back," Bastion said, not only a little sarcastic.

"Anything happen?"

They all shook their heads.

"So no more clues to why he's so spooked?"

Again all they could do was shake their heads. Chazz sighed and folded his arms.

"Then I guess it's time for Detective Chazz to get on the case again."

"Chazz, we've retold the event over and over again and found nothing. Why would now be any different?"

"Well, each one of us has had our turn to say what he or she saw happen. Everyone except Syrus, and he's one of the closest people to Jaden."

"There's truth in that…" Zane said slowly.

"Right then, it's decided. Oi Syrus, wake up!"

Before anyone could stop him Chazz was upon Syrus shaking him awake.

"Wahzzappaning?" Syrus said sleepily, blinking a few times as he woke up fully.

"It's your turn," Chazz said, letting go of him.

"My turn? My turn for what?" Syrus asked, completely lost at Chazz.

"Your turn to tell us what happened three days ago!"

"You woke me up for that?" Syrus sighed. "We couldn't find anything the first six times the story was told."

"Maybe not, but you might remember something that we don't."

"Alright, alright," Syrus gave in, sitting up. He took a deep breath and began.

_The air was so cold it felt like it was biting them, even through the extra layer of clothing. It was unnaturally cold and unnaturally quiet, too. Putting it down to a strange weather pattern the Academy's inhabitants weren't too worried about it. The Slifer Reds, having no heating in their dorms, made fires outside and huddled around them, covered in blankets. Chumley had produced a packet of marshmallows and the three friends were busy toasting them over their fire. _

"_The cold I can sort of understand. But the silence… There's something wrong here Jaden." _

_Jaden laughed, testing his marshmallow as he did so. _

"_Don't worry, Sy, that's just 'coz of the weather too." _

"_You sure?" It doesn't feel that way." _

"_Those Shadow Riders have made you paranoid. It's all over, remember? The Sacred Beasts are back under the school, and the keys are safe." _

"_Yea… I guess so…" _

_Syrus still couldn't shake the ominous feeling, even as Jaden and Chumley started wrestling for the last marshmallow. Something was just not right to him, and paranoid as it might be, he wasn't going to be stupid enough to ignore it. _

"_Syrus, cheer up!" Jaden called to him, dusting himself and returning to the fireside without the last marshmallow in his possession. _

"_I just wish it wasn't so silent," he murmured. _

_His wish was granted as a few minutes later a scream shattered through the stillness. Syrus twisted around so quickly he heard his neck click and Jaden leapt to his feet. _

"_That sounded like Alexis!" Jaden said as his eyes scanned the darkness in the direction the scream had come from. _

"_M…maybe it was just our imagi-" _

_He was cut short by another scream. Jaden plunged forwards, Chumley and Syrus scrambling to their feet and following him. The three sprinted as fast as they could until they reached the place in the forest the sound had seemed to come from. There was no one around and they were just about to look elsewhere when Bastion came jogging up. _

"_Did you lot here that scream too?" _

"_Yea, but Alexis isn't here." _

"_What's going on?" _

_The last call came from Chazz, who also jogged up to the group. _

"_The scream sounded like Alexis, but she's not here." _

"_I am now," came Alexis's voice. _

_Turning they saw Alexis, Atticus and Zane appear out of the darkness. _

"_So it wasn't you who screamed?" Jaden asked her. _

"_No, though I admit it sounded a lot like me. The three of us were in the common room when we heard it and decided to see what the heck was going on." _

"_I'd love to give you an answer, but we're a clueless as you are," Bastion told her. _

"_This is weird," Syrus said nervously. "First the total silence, then someone who sounds like Alexis screams but there's no one here." _

"_What we have to find out," Chazz said impatiently. "Is who screamed and why." _

"_I'm afraid I'm guilty of that." _

_The voice was smooth and drawling and it belonged, as the group saw a moment later, to a tall man no older than thirty. He had a shock of white hair adorned with streaks of purple and black, making him look more or less like a circus clown. His eyes, however, were anything but friendly. They were a cold, hard grey with a glint of the predator in them and at that moment they were locked onto the group of friends, watchful and slightly hungry. _

"_Who the hell are you?" Chazz snarled at him, startled into hostility. _

_The man just gave them all a lazy smile, tucking his thumbs into the belt he wore around his faded jeans. _

"_The name's Reaper," he replied, not in the least intimidated by Chazz. _

"_What kind of a name is that?" Chazz scoffed. _

_In response he got a grin that showed off Reaper's sharp teeth. _

"_Well I think it's a lot better than Chazz," he drawled. _

_That threw Chazz completely off guard. _

"_How…how did you know my name?" _

"_I know everything about you, Chazz. Every single thing about you and every one of your friends." _

"_Oh please," Bastion said, covering for Chazz. "It's impossible to know _everything _about a person." _

_Reaper laughed, a chilling sound despite its lightness. _

"_Oh but I do, Bastion. For example, I know that you got an electrical car for your seventh birthday that you traded in for a chemistry set, which you used once and set your sitting room on fire." _

_Bastion's eyes widened. If the situation wasn't so serious, the others would have burst out laughing. _

"_What do you want?" Zane asked curtly. _

"_Almost what the rest of the people in my group wanted," came the singsong answer. _

"_Stop playing with us and tell us!" Alexis growled. _

"_Oooh Alexis, you growl almost exactly like your puppy that you lost when you were five," Reaper said with a chortle. _

_Alexis looked like she'd just been slapped, making Atticus's face darken. _

"_Just tell us who you are," Zane said, his voice rising slightly. _

"_He doesn't have to," Atticus replied in a cutting tone. _

_All of them turned in utter surprise to Atticus, who was glaring with a good deal of hate at Reaper. _

"_Ah Atticus," drawled Reaper with a smirk. "Or should I call you Nightshroud? I hear you answered to that name for a while." _

"_You would know," Atticus shot back. "You're one of those blasted Shadow Riders!" _

"_Was," reaper corrected him. "But I resigned. Shortly after you arrived, actually." _

"_What do you want with us then?" Jaden asked, speaking for the first time since Reaper had appeared. _

"_Like I said: the same thing as the rest of my group wanted." _

"_The Spirit Keys and our souls," Bastion replied in a dull voice. _

"_I have no use for the keys," came the reply. "Just the souls." _

"_Wha…?" _

"_You see, when I was replaced with Atticus here and I was thrown out, half by my own will and half by theirs, I went on a little journey around the world, looking for a new purpose. I found one; avenging cards. By now you know that there is a beast world in which all the duel monster spirits live. In other words, you know that the monsters are real. Ever since Duel Monsters became popular every child has changed his or her deck at least once. And almost all of the old cards have been abandoned. You won't believe how many have been abandoned in horrific ways: dumped into a hole, thrown away, buried, hurled into a lake… I made a deck out of all of these cards and made it my mission to avenge each and every one of them. In return they have been faithful to me, winning every duel and not turning on me at any time. And every time I win a duel with one of their old masters, I punish them for leaving their cards by taking their souls and trapping them in the belt you see around my waist. And every once in a while, when a gateway to the Beast Realm opens I throw their pathetic souls into the realm so they can meet the wrath of their old cards face to face." _

"_Uh, melodramatic much?" Jaden asked, his eyes wider than usual. "Sure, I guess the owners have to be punished for what they did, but that doesn't involve you taking their souls and leaving them in the Beast Realm forever." _

"_Oh I don't leave them there. Each gateway is open for exactly an hour, and that is more than enough time for their old cards to get reacquainted with their masters before I lock them in my belt again." _

_He patted his belt as he spoke, and it glittered like the other Shadow Charms had. _

"_I still don't get what you get out of it," Chazz growled. _

"_Didn't you listen? They are as loyal to me as if I am their kinsman. They give me their all which mans I cannot lose a duel easily, if I can even lose at all. Together my deck and I have conquered almost every person who ever dared to call themselves a champion. In between my quest of revenge, naturally." _

"_That still doesn't explain why you're here," Zane said coolly. _

"_I'm here for Jaden Yuki." _

"_Why is it always Jaden?!" Chazz exploded, his hands balling into fists. _

"_Because it just is," Alexis said shortly. "And don't say it like it's a good thing, because it's not." _

"_But now the question stands: Does Jaden want to stand up to the challenge even after everything I've just told you about my deck? And what if I add that my Shadow Charm has an extra special ability?" Reaper's eyes gleamed as he watched Jaden. _

"_I never back down from a challenge!" Jaden replied, getting out his Duel Disk. "So get your game on!" _

"_Very well," Reaper smiled. "I shall. But you'll have to do much more than that, Jaden. Oh so much more…" _

_The duel had been going on for a hair-raising half hour, with both duellists now having under 2000 Life Points. Jaden had Avian in Defence Mode, with Reaper having the upper hand with Beast of Talwar and Neo The Magic Swordsman both out in Attack Mode. Both were showing strains of the duel, but both were unwilling to back down even an inch. _

"_Say goodbye to another one of your monsters, Jaden. Neo, take the birdie out." _

_Jaden bit his lip as Avian was destroyed and he was left defenceless. _

"_You do realize what this means, don't you? With my Beast's 2400 Attack Points, you're finished, despite your trap you have over there." _

_Jaden's eyes flickered down to the said facedown card and his grimace deepened. _

"_Not good," he murmured. _

"_No it isn't, Jaden. But I'm not going to take you out just yet." _

_Jaden's eyes widened in shock and surprise and the rest of the gang, who were watching from the sidelines. Were getting very nervous. And not only about the duel. _

"_Jaden better get out of there fast; this storm's looking vicious." _

_The weather had turned from freezing cold to freezing cold with a howling wind and the occasional flash of lightning that struck closer and closer every time. _

"_I'm more worried about the duel. Why isn't Reaper attacking?" Alexis murmured. _

"_You see, Jaden," Reaper called over a fresh gust of wind. "I keep my end of the bargain. I promised her I'd let her have a go at you; that she'd be the last one you saw before your soul is mine. I can't destroy you now, not yet. Instead I'll play a Spell Card that decreases my Beast's attack to 500 for this turn only. Then, he will attack you directly." _

_Even though the card was weak, its attack still hurt as it drew its sword and flew at Jaden. He collapsed with a slight moan, clutching his shoulder. _

"_That wouldn't have hurt as much if it wasn't a Shadow Duel. Now that it is…" _

_Bastion didn't have to finish the sentence. They had all been in that position and had all felt how much it hurt. _

"_Hang in there, Jaden!" Alexis called, causing the others to yell out encouragement as well. _

_Jaden struggled to his feet, still clutching his right shoulder and panting ever so slightly. _

"_What do you mean, 'she' wants to finish me off? Who's 'she'?" _

_Reaper's grin became so wide, one would think Jaden had asked him if he wanted a million dollars. _

"_Why do you think I came after you, Jaden? Or, better yet, why do you lot think I came after him?" _

_The last question was directed at the watching group. _

"_Duh, Because Jaden's like, on of the best." _

"_Hmmm… I have heard that rumour. But that's not why I'm here." _

"_Wait, you mean…" Syrus gasped. _

"_Oh yes, I'm here on official revenge business." _

"_But I've never gotten rid of any of my cards, except the ones I gave my friends," Jaden said, looking perplexed. "And as far as I know they still have them." _

"_And those are the _only _cards you've ever discarded, Jaden?" Reaper's eyes seemed to glow as they fixed on their opponent. _

"_Yea," Jaden said simply. _

_It was almost as if someone had pushed a button that was labelled 'start storm'. The wind picked up to tremendous volume and the lightning flashes became more and more frequent, violent and closer to where they stood. _

"_See how angry she is, Jaden? See how big her wrath is now that she hears you've forgotten her? Remember, this is a Shadow Duel; the monsters are real and she heard every word you said." _

"_Who heard?" Jaden asked still totally lost and a little worried as the ground shook with the lightning strikes. _

"_You've really ticked her off now Jaden!" Reaper yelled with glee. _

"_Who-" Jaden began impatiently, but Reaper cut him off. _

"_You've really angered her now! Her, the Queen of Shadows!" _

_The effect that name had on Jaden was tremendous. He froze and seemed to stop breathing. They could almost see the blood freeze in his veins as his eyes widened in shock, disbelief, remembrance and… terror. Pure, cold and unlike they had ever seen in him before. And that terror made them more scared than anything had since they had come there because, even through all of the Shadow Riders and even when facing the Sacred Beasts Jaden had never shown half the fear he did now. _

"_Jaden!" Syrus called to him, wanting some signal from his friend that everything was alright. _

_He said nothing. He did nothing. He just stood, shaking badly now from more than just exhaustion. _

"_I'm glad I finally got through. But I'll leave her in your mind until our next duel, for now it is time for me to go: the storm is far too dangerous and there isn't a chance I'll be able to play her I this duel. And so, until the next time Jaden, I id you farewell." _

_He made a false bow, his eyes shining at the look still frozen on Jaden's face. _

"_But you can't just leave!" Chazz bellowed to him. "That means you lose, and your soul gets taken!" _

_Reaper's smile got wider yet again. _

"_Didn't I tell you my Shadow Charm had a special ability?" _

"_Yes, but the ability is to mimic sound! That's how you copied Alexis's scream!" Syrus gabbled, grasping at straws and hoping against hope he was right… _

"_No," Reaper laughed. "I recorded that onto a CD and that was what you heard playing tonight. No, my charm's effect let's me leave any duel at all whenever I please. It's like it never happened. Except you know it did, because the pain stays." _

_The entire group was knocked speechless as Reaper's belt began to glow. _

"_Until next time, my friends!" _

_He was gone. Just like that he was gone, and the monsters disappeared along with him. But the storm didn't leave; it wasn't done yet. _

"_Jaden!" Alexis screamed. "Get out of the way!" _

_Even if Jaden had snapped out of his shock, he still would have been in the way of the tree. The tree that got struck by lightning and fell, in what they saw as slow motion, straight towards him, smashing into his and holding him beneath its weight to the ground. _

"And then we rolled the tree off him and brought him to the hospital, where he's been ever since," Syrus concluded his story.

"Yes, that's all I saw as well. But it _still _doesn't explain why Jaden is so spooked."

Bastion was frustrated, like the rest of them. They had told the story over and over again, searching for some clue to why Jaden had been, and largely still was, petrified.

"And you didn't find anything on the 'Queen of Shadows', Bastion?"

Bastion shook his head with a sigh.

"The way Reaper said it, it sounded like Jaden had a card by that name."

"Yes, we know. But there is no record of a card by that name, and you heard Jaden: he's never thrown out a card before," Bastion replied to Syrus.

"So the Queen must be something else," Alexis said.

"We've come to that conclusion so many times!" Chazz snarled, losing his patience. "We know she's something else, but WHAT IS SHE?"

"Shut up, you'll wake Jaden!" Alexis hissed, thumping Chazz around the head.

'Well good, then he can tell us what the hell is going on!"

"You _know _he won' Chazz. We've asked him before, remember?"

"Yes, and in doing so we just made matters worse," Zane said quietly.

"So we're back to square one," Atticus said dully.

Silence washed over them as they all stared at the ground, lost once again in their own thoughts. The silence was broken by Jaden who tossed three times and then utters the line he said every time he spoke in his sleep.

"Queen of the Shadows," he mumbled, before falling silent again.

"He never says anything else, does he?" Bastion asked softly.

"No," Alexis replied. "Just that same line over and over again."

"Well, seeing as it's Jaden we're talking about, whatever it is that scared him must be pretty big," Atticus interjected.

"Whatever that big thing is it's our mystery to solve. And we better solve it quickly; Jaden needs to recover."

Zane was watching Jaden as he said this, his face grim. No one said anything for a while as they gazed upon the pale face of the usually live wire.

"It's just not right…"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I still don't own Disney's Anastasia or Yu-Gi-Oh! GX

"Good morning, sleepyhead. I was beginning to think you'd sleep forever."

Alexis couldn't keep the relief out of her voice as she smiled down at Jaden, who was still slowly waking up.

"What time is it?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes as vigorously as his injuries allowed.

"Eleven fifteen," Alexis said. "Syrus and Chumley just left to get brunch."

"Well then I couldn't have slept for so long. I woke up this morning around five when Syrus was here."

"Jay, that was _yesterday _morning. You slept through the whole day."

"I did?" Jaden's eyes were wide with surprise.

"Uh-huh," Alexis replied, stopping herself from asking about the nightmare that woken him so violently the previous morning. Instead she just asked, "How you feeling?"

Jaden made a face and even though it meant he was still in pain, Alexis's heart soared in happiness. Faces like that were signs of the old Jaden. He was coming back from wherever the terror had driven him to.

"Anything I can get you?"

"Nah thanks."

He fell silent and his eyes closed again, but Alexis would know when he fell asleep.

_What are you thinking of, Jaden? _She thought as she watched him. _Is it your nightmares or the cause thereof? _She shook her head. She'd never know unless he told her, and that wasn't about to happen any time soon. She looked up and smiled as Chumley and Syrus returned with an assortment of food, most of which was grilled cheese sandwiches.

"Hey Lex, anything happen?"

Jaden's eyes opened as he heard Syrus's voice, and he grinned slightly. Alexis, seeing this motioned towards him with a twitch of her head, smiling.

"Jaden!" Syrus called happily, dumping his stash of food and walking to his friend's side. "You sure had one long powernap!"

"So I've heard," Jaden said in a voice that had laughter in it.

"Take it easy," Alexis warned him.

Jaden rolled his eyes.

"Right, I forgot. I'm not allowed to laugh. Or sigh, or sneeze, or roll over, or sit up, or talk too much, or yell and for the first day I wasn't even allowed to _breathe _by myself."

Alexis gave him a glare, but inside she was smiling.

"Woa, Lex. That look could rival one of Crowler's!" Syrus laughed.

"Speaking of Crowler," Jaden said. "Shouldn't you be in his class by now?"

"Nah. Because it's the last week before vacation, Sheppard gave all us first years off. Atticus and Zane weren't so lucky though."

"I bet Crowler was thrilled."

"He was over the moon," Syrus said dryly.

"So what's campus news?' Jaden asked casually, shifting carefully into a better position.

_That was just a little too casual… _Alexis said, narrowing her eyes as she studied Jaden's unreadable face. Syrus, however, didn't seem to pick anything up and he happily sat down beside Jaden's bed.

"Well Bastion and Chazz had an argument and Bastion allegedly set Chazz's bed on fire, although Chazz did light some candles earlier. So because it was so shady Bastion didn't get into trouble until Chazz smeared cream all over his walls and Bastion went after him with a baseball bat. Now they're both in detention."

"And Ms Dorothy made like, extra grilled cheese sandwiches, so there are lots of leftovers," Chumley put in.

"Are there still any left after you hauled all of these up here?" Jaden asked, indicating to the stash of food.

"Yea!" Chumley said happily. "There's still loads more!"

Alexis noticing that the intense look had left Jaden's eyes. He had been searching for information about Reaper and, getting none, he was able to relax.

"Hey guys," she said quietly, detecting the tired look on her friend's face. "We should let Jaden get some rest."

"Lex, I slept for more than a day," Jaden pointed out.

"And knowing you, you'll be asleep again in two minutes," she teased.

He put up a bit of a fight but finally gave up, too tired to argue any more. He didn't properly fall asleep, though, and instead dozed halfway between being awake and sleep, something he had perfected from the naps he took in class. It went along the lines of him being asleep until something caught his attention and he woke up entirely, as if he had never been asleep in the first place.

After half an hour all the food had been consumed, mostly by Chumley, and the three had started to play a game of hangman on a scrap piece of paper. Alexis was about to try and guess the word when Bastion entered with Chazz following him. It was obvious from the atmosphere that the two weren't on the best of terms.

"Hey guys," Syrus said, trying to break the tension.

Chazz replied with a grunt and Bastion just raised his hand wearily.

"Ok then," the youngest Truesdale muttered, raising his eyebrows.

"Anything happen?" The Ra Yellow mumbled, taking a spot as far away from Chazz as possible.

"Jaden woke up," Syrus said brightening again.

"Excellent!" Bastion said enthusiastically. "Is he properly asleep again?"

"No, just dozing," Alexis replied, casting a look at the still form.

Bastion shook his head.

"I can never figure out how he does that. It's… remarkable."

"That's one way to put it," Alexis muttered.

"And Zane and Atticus are still in class?" Chazz asked, not looking at Bastion.

"Yea, but they should be out soon."

"Hypothermia!" Alexis suddenly yelled, making everyone jump.

"Excuse me?" Chazz blinked at her.

"The word," she laughed, pointing to the hangman game. "it's hypothermia."

There was a split second of utter silence before everybody cracked up laughing, not really sure what was so funny about the matter, but enjoying the joy none the less.

-x-x-x-

"I told you to make it hard, not impossible," Atticus complained, his face screwed up in concentration.

"Come on! I'm your little sister; surely you can beat me in a game of hangman…"

"Whose idea was it to play this anyway?" he grumbled back.

"It was yours, Atti," Zane said with a small smile.

"So this is what the five of you did while Zane and I were is class?"

"Three if us," Alexis corrected. "Bastion and Chazz were in detention.

Atticus burst out laughing.

"Oh yea! Because of the whole bed/baseball thing!"

"It's not _that _funny…" she replied, shaking her head at her laughing brother. "You're a spazz."

"At least I'm not a spazz like Jazz," Atticus grinned back.

"I won't even dignify that with an answer."

"So where's Chazz the spazz?" Atticus asked, now on a roll.

"Moving his new bed into his room with Syrus and Chumley's help. Which means that they're doing all the work while he just sits there."

"Hey, right on cue!" Atticus laughed, now grinning at the door.

It opened to reveal a very fed up and tired Chumley and Syrus.

"That took a while," Alexis commented.

"Yea, well it wouldn't have if these two had done it right the first time," Chazz scoffed, following them in.

"Next time Chazz," Syrus said, collapsing into a chair. "Hire moving men to do your dirty work."

Chazz's reply was cut off by Bastion bursting through the door, red-faced and breathless.

"Bastion? What's wrong?" Zane asked.

Bastion waved his hand to say it was nothing catastrophic, and hey all relaxed as he got his breath back.

"Well?" Chazz barked.

"I found a…" he trailed off as he looked at Jaden. "Is he properly asleep?" he mouthed at them.

They shook their heads, confused. Bastion beckoned to them and, perplexed and curious they all followed him outside.

"I think I may know who the 'Queen' is," Bastion told them as soon as they were out of Jaden's escort.

"You have?" Syrus gasped. "Where? How? Who?"

"I was asked to look into something for Miss Dorothy in the Academy's old world newspapers and while I was there, I searched the name the Queen of Shadows and found half an article on-"

"Only half?" Chazz scoffed.

"They only put the important bits into this network," Bastion growled back. "As I was _saying, _eight years ago Industrial Illusions ran a competition. To enter you had to design your own card, and the winner got their design made into a card that they could keep. It doesn't say exactly what the competition entailed, but in that article I can make out the name "the Queen of Shadows', even though the writing's so blurred everywhere because it's so old. The winner," he concluded. "was a girl of the age of nine, and she lived in the same place as Jaden."

There was a n electrified silence as each one of them absorbed the news given to them by the shining Ra Yellow.

"So then the Queen of Shadows is a girl who won a custom card that Jaden knew," Syrus said slowly. "That's only half of the mystery solved.

"Did you get a picture?" Atticus asked.

Bastion took out a piece of paper and Atticus took it, his face falling as he viewed it.

"We've got nothing," he said sadly.

"What?" Bastion choked. "But-"

"I've seen her before in the news, Bastion. Her name is Sarah and she's a professional finger skater. There's no way a Twirl Girl could be called the Queen of Shadows, that's for sure."

Disappointment that was as searing as physical pain wrought through them.

"But…" Bastion said desperately. "I swear I saw the name in that article."

"We all know how unclear those things are when they get old, Bas," Alexis said gently. "And we all want to find the Queen so badly…"

I guess you're right. I'm sorry."

Not even Chazz cut Bastion down any further as they all traipsed back into Jaden's room. They were all too disappointed to notice Jaden's eyes opening, studying them for a moment and then closing again.

-x-x-x-

"Syrus, what's the time?"

Syrus sighed, trying hard not to become impatient with his friend.

"It's still quarter to, just like the last three times you asked, Jay."

"Oh."

Jaden was almost withering in excitement, and his eyes were shining. Syrus was concerned he would leap out of bed at any minute.

"Hey Jay, nice to see you're awake," Alexis smiled, entering the room.

"Hey Lex," Jaden replied. "Is it eleven yet? I think Syrus's watch stopped."

"No… it's just past quarter to."

"Oh," Jaden sighed.

"Why the excitement over eleven?" Then she suddenly remembered. "Oh that's right! You get to sit up today, huh?"

"Yep. First time since I got here… six days ago?"

"Yea," Syrus said. "And before you ask, the time is thirteen minutes to."

"How'd you know I was going to ask?" Jaden said, his eyes widening.

"Lucky guess," Syrus muttered.

"Hey Jaden!"

"Hey Bastion!" Jaden greeted the grinning Ra Yellow with a grin of his own.

"Bastion, I thought you were with Zane and Atticus?" Alexis questioned.

"I was," he replied. "And with Chazz too. But they suddenly raced off to go and find something that caused great excitement amongst them."

"Zane got excited?" Alexis raised her eyebrow.

"Well no… but Chazz and Atticus did."

"And here I thought a miracle happened," Alexis grinned.

"Syrus, what's the-"

"Ten to, Jaden," Syrus interrupted through gritted teeth.

Alexis and Bastion snorted with laughter.

"Maybe we should ask the nurse if Jaden can have ten minutes grace," Bastion chortled.

"PLEASE do," Syrus pleaded. "I don't think I'll be able to last another ten minutes of this."

"Surely it's only nine minutes now?" Jaden piped up, making Syrus's eye twitch slightly.

Laughing, Bastion walked out and returned a few moments later with the nurse.

"Guess what Jaden? You're going up now."

It was amusing and relieving to see Jaden's antics as he was being carefully propped up by the nurse. Amusing because Jaden couldn't be anything else and relieving because it told his friends that he was returning to his normal self. Whatever normal was.

"You'd never expect he still ahs those nightmares," Bastion murmured to Alexis.

"Come back at about ten in the evening," she replied, just as softly. "and you'll see how he changes from this Jaden to the withdrawn and silent one."

Bastion's smile slipped at that. He had known that the nightmares hadn't stopped, but he hadn't known it was still _that _bad.

"Now Jaden, don't overdo it or you'll be back to square one. You hear? No playing the fool," the new school nurse warned him.

"That's like asking water not to be wet," Bastion grinned.

"Oh so true," Alexis grinned back as Jaden celebrated his new 'victory' by irritating the heck out of Syrus.

Suddenly the sound of pounding feet sounded outside the room.

"Geeze, who's stampeding where?" Alexis asked, looking at the door.

"I think… they're coming here," Bastion said in surprise.

He was proved right as the door burst open and in fell Chazz, Atticus and Zane, the former two who were panting heavily.

"What in the world?" Alexis asked, more curious than surprised.

"CD…" Chazz panted, holding up the said object before catching sight of Jaden and freezing.

"What about it?"

"Uhm…" Chazz stuttered.

"It's got the best songs on ever, and Chazz won't give it to me!" Atticus said far too quickly, his nervous smile not fooling anyone.

"Uh…" Alexis said in confusion.

"We'll settle this _outside,_" Zane said, pointedly holding the door open. "And the three of you," he indicated to Bastion, Alexis and Syrus. "should come to be arbitrators."

Utterly bewildered, Syrus, Bastion and Alexis trooped outside, followed by Atticus and leaving a totally perplexed Jaden behind.

"You know what," Chazz said suddenly. "I think I'll stay in here with the CD while you-"

"Not on your life!" Atticus growled, grabbing Chazz and pulling him outside.

The motion caught Chazz by surprise and as he was jerked out the door the CD flew out of his hand and across the hospital room, missing Jaden's head by an inch.

"There's no need to kill the patient!" Alexis snapped, catching sight of a wide-eyed, confused but slightly grinning Jaden before the door closed.

"Ok, what. Is. Going. On?" Bastion asked, facing the Obelisk boys.

"That CD is Reaper's," Atticus replied. "We found it at the scene of the…crime. And Chazz over here thinks it's a good idea to play it to Jaden to see how he reacts."

"Oh, so _that's _why you wanted to stay in there!" Alexis's eyes were flashing in anger. "You moronic…"

"Hey! I just want to get to the bottom of this!" Chazz defended.

"Hold it!" Syrus interrupted, holding up his hands. "I'm lost. Why would Jaden react any differently to Alexis's scream?"

"Oh right," Atticus said, snapping his fingers after looking at Syrus strangely. "You lot don't know about the second track."

"The second track?" Alexis and Bastion said in unison.

"Yes," Zane said, taking over. "There are two tracks on that CD. The first one we've already heard: it's Alexis screaming. But when we played it today hoping to get some more information, we discovered track number two. It's something none of us has ever heard before."

"It starts off with Reaper saying something like 'Here we go, Jaden. Proof and a trip down memory lane all at once.'"

"And then?" Alexis prompted.

"Someone starts singing. A girl. We think it may be the Queen, but we need Jaden to confirm it."

"Yes but playing it to him without warning right now may cause more harm than good," Atticus argued, for once being the objective one.

"Yes well-" Chazz broke off and his face froze.

"Chazz, what-?"

"Shh! Listen!"

From the room behind them came the sound of music. It was actually just the sound of a voice singing a soft song, but it caused everybody to take in their breath.

"Is that…?" Alexis paled.

"The second track," Atticus whispered.

They all lunged towards the door, Zane getting there first and hauling it open. The power at which the hauntingly beautiful voice hit them made them stop for a second, reeling in its magnificence and piecing the part they heard then with what they had heard through the door.

"_Dancing bears, painted wings _

_Things I almost remember _

_And a song, someone sings _

_Once upon a December" _

Alexis's concern suddenly focused on Jaden. He was sitting stock still, paler than he had been even in the duel, his eyes dull and expressionless, his body shaking.

"Turn it off!" She yelled.

Bastion shot towards the CD player that was next to Jaden's bed as the next verse started, even more haunting than the first.

"_Calling softly in your arms _

_You're holding me away from harm _

_And-" _

Bastion's hand slammed down on the stop button, blinking in the sudden silence.

"Jaden? Jaden!" Syrus called.

But Jaden was, like on the night of the duel, frozen. He didn't move or speak, he just sat there in the same position he had been so happy to be in only moments ago.

"Jaden, speak to us. Please!" Alexis begged, crouching next to his bed so her face was as level with his as possible.

He looked at her with an expressionless face and haunted eyes that were so unlike the usual brown mass of energy…

"He really wasn't lying," he said in a quiet monotone. "He has her. He really, really has her."

"Tell us what's going on, Jaden," Alexis begged quietly.

Jaden looked straight into her eyes and finally, _finally, _the resistance that kept him quiet dropped.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX or Disney's Anastasia

"Tell us Jaden, we'll help you," Alexis said again, still watching Jaden.

"You can't," he mumbled, shaking his head.

"We can try," Bastion argued, stepping closer to Jaden, with everyone else following suit shortly after.

Jaden sighed and didn't take his gaze off of his knees.

"How much do you guys know?"

They all exchanged guilty looks before Chazz replied.

"We know the girl who won Pegasus's competition is involved somehow. We thought she might be the Queen, but Atticus said he saw her on TV and that there's no way it's her."

"Sarah the finger skater," Atticus nodded.

"Did you happen to get her last name?" Jaden asked in an odd voice.

"Uhm no…" Atticus said, turning red. "I just got her first."

"That's just like you," Alexis began, but Jaden cut her off.

"It's ok, Lex; I'll tell you. I just figured you might not if you're still asking me who she is."

"Well why would the surname matter, even if she is such a great friend of yours?"

Jaden didn't answer.

"Jaden?"

"Her surname… is Yuki. Sarah Yuki."

Syrus's eyes grew as wide as everybody else's.

"You mean," he gasped. "She's your…"

"Sister," Jaden replied wearily. "Three years older then me and, as Atticus said, a champion finger skater."

Alexis suddenly realized that Jaden was still shaking and she saw how tired he had become. She didn't want to stop the truth from coming out, but Jaden was too drained to do it then.

"Jaden, you should get some sleep."

"But-!" Chazz started.

"We'll finish this tomorrow."

"But-!"

"TOMORROW CHAZZ," she snarled at him, casting the rest of the guys a look that said they'd better all depart as well.

Jaden was helped into a lying position then left alone as the rest all trooped out. They all walked in silence until they got outside where they all stopped and turned to face each other.

"So Jaden has a sister," Zane said in his calm voice.

"And she _is _somehow connected to the Queen," Bastion said triumphantly.

"Maybe we were wrong as she is actually the Queen," Syrus said slowly.

"_Jaden _being _that _scared of his own sister?" Atticus raised an eyebrow. "Lex can get scary sometimes, but nightmares like that…"

"How can a Twirl Girl be nicknamed the 'Queen of Shadows'?" Chazz scorned.

"Well she doesn't exactly show her love for him," Alexis snorted. "She hasn't sent him a single greeting since he got here."

"Lex, calm down. She might actually be very sweet."

"Yea I doubt it," Alexis snarled, her eyes flashing.

"Alexis, your brother is right: we can't judge her until Jaden tells us what's going on," Syrus soothed her.

She sighed, but relented.

"And did you notice," Zane said slowly. "That Jaden wasn't… entirely scared by that song?"

"Yes I did," Bastion replied. "At first I could only see the apparent terror, but when I was right next to him I saw something else too… It was like he wanted that song, even though it brought him fear."

"So what's up with that song?" Atticus asked.

"Maybe it's Sarah's revenge song! Maybe she sings it to let Jaden know she's coming to get him," Chazz smirked.

"Maybe you've been watching too much TV!" Syrus rolled his eyes.

"Yea Chazz, revenge for what?"

"For stealing the card she won at the competition. Maybe the Slacker stole it from her and threw it away and now she's paired up with Reaper to get him back."

"Maybe you should shut it!" Alexis barked.

"Maybe you should face the truth!"

"Maybe we should all just wait to hear the truth tomorrow," Zane cut in.

"I agree," Bastion said. "Let's go and get some sleep. We're going to have to be awake tomorrow.

-x-x-x-

The early morning found the gang standing outside Dr Crowler's office. Zane and Atticus were the only ones inside as they were the ones who needed permission to skip classes that day. Pressing their ears to the door the rest found that Zane had wisely taken over the role of doing all the talking, as he was obviously the favourite and because it was too early for Atticus to be fully awake yet. There was a pause and they all held their breaths. They all knew it would be unfair to talk to Jaden without the older two boys, but the thought of having to wait until the afternoon to finally hear what was going on was torture. Footsteps suddenly sounded and all of them leapt away from the door as it opened as Zane came out, followed by Atticus. S

"And?" Chazz asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We got it," Zane said with a hint of a smile.

They resisted the urge to cheer as they made their way to the hospital.

"How'd you do it?" Syrus asked, hoping to pick up some tips.

"Ah he just gave us off saying we've both worked hard and deserve the break. And that we won't be doing much work today anyway."

"Good heavens!" Bastion exclaimed, looking stricken. "I'd totally forgotten that school ends tomorrow!"

From the looks on everybody else's faces, they had too.

"Do you think Jaden will be ok flying home?" Alexis asked, worried.

"I don't know…" Bastion replied hesitantly.

"Then it's a good thing he's not going anywhere," Syrus said with a bit more cheer in his voice.

"What do you mean, Sy?" Alexis asked, casting a look at the smaller boy.

"Jaden got news from his parents a while back saying that they won't be around for the first three quarters of the vacation and that he has to stay here."

"Well that simplifies matters," Bastion said with a smile.

"Except that now Jaden's going to be by himself down here…"

"He won't be totally alone; quite a few people are staying," Atticus soothed.

"Yea but none of them are, like, his friends," Chumley pointed out.

"Then why don't his friends stay?" Alexis asked. "Atticus and I have nothing on, so I'm sure my parents will let me stay."

"I'll ask to stay as well," Bastion said brightly. "It's not as if I have anything better to do with my vacation."

"And my parents will let me stay," Syrus added.

"And anything is, like, better then working at my dad's hotsauce place. It's not licious."

"I think I'm going to stay too," Atticus said lightly.

Alexis glanced at him. "That's going to take some convincing; they haven't seen you since you disappeared."

"Maybe not," Atticus agreed. "But I can help you in other ways, thanks to my… prior training."

"I'll ask to stay as well," Zane said.

"Mom won't like that. You'll have to think of a good excuse."

"I have one: Someone has to stay to look after you kids."

"Gee, thanks Zane."

They walked in silence for a while before Chazz finally spoke up.

"Oh alright, I guess I could stay to help the Slacker too," he growled.

Syrus and Bastion exchanged grins but they all became serious again as they reached the hospital. They all stopped outside the door, hesitant to go in.

"Oh here you are!" The smiling new nurse said spotting them. "Jaden told me you'd be coming early today. I just didn't think he meant _this _early."

"Oh… we're sorry, it's just that… Is he awake?" Alexis finished lamely.

"Oh yes. Been awake since five, waiting for you lot. He refused to go back to sleep and eventually I gave in and set him up in a semi-sitting position. So go on in."

They thanked the nurse as she walked away but still hesitated.

"Well… here goes everything," Zane said quietly, finally pushing open the door.

Jaden was propped up against one of the biggest stacks of pillows they had ever seen. His eyes had been closed but as soon as the group entered they opened and fixed on their faces. They could see that a part of him wanted it to be out in the open very badly, and they were somehow reminded about what Zane and Bastion had said the previous night about how he had wanted that song to play…

"Hey Jay," Alexis said softly.

A forced smile greeted her back, and she didn't push it. The group silently formed a circle around his bed, not one of them speaking. Even Chazz was respectful for once, although how long it would last nobody knew. Jaden opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He obviously had no idea where to begin. Alexis cast a look at everybody, then prompted him gently.

"Your sister, Sarah?"

"Yea," Jaden said, seemingly shaking himself. "Well… I think it's better that I start right at the beginning."

There was a pause in which no one seemed to breathe. Then Jaden began.

"When my sister was younger, she always showed potential as a skater. She loved the ice and all the glitter and sparkles that go along with it. But she loved something more than her skates."

"Her ninja suit?" Chazz asked, getting glares from everybody.

"No," Jaden replied calmly. "Her Duel Monsters cards. She lived to duel, although not as roughly as most other duellists. In fact, I think she was the one who taught me how to duel. We were both in love with the game and it brought us very, very close together. Even as she got older she never pushed me as far away as other sisters pushed their little brothers. Sure, we gave each other more space, but she was still my best friend in the world, despite all our differences; she had a deck of mostly Twirl Girl cards and I had my Elemental Heroes. Then came Pegasus's competition, and she said she was going to enter a card that would 'tie her to me forever'. She designed the card, and won. I didn't understand what she meant about it tying her to me until I saw it. Her card was another Elemental Hero, and it became her prized possession. She said that whenever she looked at it, she'd always be reminded of me."

Jaden had a sad smile on his face. It was obviously bittersweet to talk about his sister.

"What happened, Jaden?" Alexis asked quietly, her eyes trained on him.

"Did you swap a card for another one?" Bastion guessed, thinking the swapped card might be the one Reaper was talking about.

But Jaden shook his head, almost viciously.

"Back then she'd never do anything to that card. She'd much rather have given up her entire deck then get rid of R-"

He stopped, looking down.

"Jaden, I know this is hard, but you have to say the card's name in order for us to try and help you," Zane said in his quiet way.

"The Elemental Hero Renegade," Jaden almost whispered. "Or, as Sarah so lovingly nicknamed her," he finally looked up, his face expressionless. "The Queen of Shadows."

"So the Queen _is _a card?" Bastion asked.

Jaden nodded.

"The first Elemental Hero created with the Dark as its attribute, hence her nickname. Sarah took time to create everything about her; not just her looks but her personality, her likes and dislikes, her entire being. She used to take Renegade to my room every night and tell me more about the card she held, never once making it up on the spot. And when she was done, there was always Reni's theme song; the lullaby Sarah wrote. "

Jaden swallowed, but he looked unable to stop himself now."

"Sarah went on a skating camp when she turned eleven. I don't know what happened to her then, but she came back completely changed. It was as if a stranger had put on a suit that looked like her and had taken her place. She turned cold and downright snobbish, making our whole hose revolve around her. My parents didn't mind; they saw it as her turning into a proper skater at last. She shunned duelling completely, but I wouldn't give up on her. I knew she had to be in there somewhere- Renegade was proof of that,"

A bitter laugh escaped him, making him wince as his ribs jarred slightly.

"But I was wrong. She drifted further and further away and the more I tried to get her back, the more she hated him. Then one day she snapped. She started a fire in the back yard and grabbed my cards, saying that destroying them would make me finally grow up. I hung on to her to stop her, and finally managed to bring her down to the ground. She was furious I had dirtied her new dress and that I'd continued to beg her duel again and she…Well we physically fought, In the end she decided to go to a boarding school because I was 'distracting' her from what was really important. I guess the day she left was the day I really understood that I'd lost her. The Sarah I knew was gone. She proved it by throwing renegade at me as she left. At first I kept Reni with me, but every time I looked at her she reminded me what Sarah had done. Finally I locked Renegade in a box with all my junk. I came home one day to find my mother had taken all my junk to a second hand shop. Everything in the box, including Renegade, was gone. I didn't try and look for her."

Absolute silence reigned in the room. Everybody around the bed was shocked into silence as they digested the information they had finally been fed.

"Jaden…" Alexis said, not knowing how to continue.

Jaden just shrugged.

"It happened six years ago; it's alright. I just never thought… I'd ever hear of Renegade again."

"Is it… like her to be as angry as Reaper said?"

"Oh yea," Jaden replied wryly. "Sarah made her to be the one most questioned about their title of hero. She's a rebel that gets ticked off rather quickly and isn't afraid to show it. And I abandoned her. I just hope I… I really don't want to see her."

The last sentence was so full of emotion that it made them all realize Jaden wasn't kidding.

"Why are you so afraid of her, Jaden? Can she really do that much damage?"

Jaden nodded soberly.

"But that's not the only reason…" he sighed and looked Alexis straight in the eyes. "If I see her I'll have to own up to what I did. I abandoned her. And what she would say if I came face to face with her in a shadow duel… I'd much rather she kill me," he whispered.

"Don't worry Jay, we won't let Reaper do this to you," Syrus said quietly.

Jaden gave his friend a small smile.

"School ends tomorrow, Sy.," he said softly.

"We know. But we're staying here."

"No, you're not," Jaden replied. "You lot are all going home to your families."

"Jaden, we're staying here," Alexis said in her stubborn tone.

"No you're not. You're going home," Jaden answered, just as stubbornly.

"Jaden! We're not going to leave you alone here!"

"I won't be alone! I'll be with all the others who aren't going home. Unlike you, who _are _going _home_."

"What about Reaper?" Alexis was on her feet by now.

"What about Reaper? If he comes back, he comes back for me. The only thing he'd want with you is to use you as bait. Another reason to go home."

"Jaden!"

"Alexis!"

The others were standing in silence as they watched the two have their argument. Alexis was glaring down at Jaden and Jaden was glaring up a Alexis. Though not with the same intensity. A knock on the door made them all turn their gazes away.

"I'm sorry kids, but Jaden has to rest now," the nurse said, sticking her pretty head around the door.

She was a little younger then the last nurse, but had good qualifications and, as an added bonus, she wasn't a Shadow Rider. The gang all trooped out, calling varying degrees of goodbye to Jaden as they left. They were going to find a quiet place to discuss all they'd heard, but before they could Alexis marched off, still in a huff.

"Lex!" Atticus yelled after her. "Where are you going?"

"To call Mom and Dad!" she shouted back. "I'm staying here, and there's nothing Jaden can do to stop me!"

"Oh boy," Atticus sighed. "She hasn't been like this since last Christmas… I better go after her."

"Well it's useless to discuss anything with those two gone," Bastion said as Atticus jogged off. "I think we should make our plans for tomorrow and then discuss all of it later."

Zane nodded and beckoned to Syrus, who followed his older brother to go and call their parents. Chazz went off to tell his limo not to come (he doubted his brothers would miss him anyway) and Bastion and Chumley went off to call their own families. But what Jaden had told them never left their heads. It stayed, a looming shadow of dread and a few still unanswered questions.

-x-x-x-

Vacation had been upon them for two weeks. Jaden had fought the idea of them staying very stubbornly at first, but eventually he had given in. Zane and Atticus had had to beg and plead a bit, but they had won and were pretty chuffed about it. They hadn't mentioned Reaper or Renegade since the day Jaden had told them about his sister, and he seemed grateful for it. And because there had been no whisper from Reaper and because they now knew what they had to distract Jaden from his nightmares lessoned, though they didn't stop completely. The lack of sitting bolt upright in shock every night had meant that Jaden was healing quicker. Most of the bruises were gone, the wounds were almost healed, his shoulder was nearly as good as new and his ribs were nicely on the mend. The best part was that he returned more and more every day and by the end of the second week he was the same Jaden he had always been. The only down side to this was that he hated having to lay still for the whole day. It was rather amusing to try and keep him still, but in the end it was only tiredness that made him comply. And tiredness came less and less easily as the days wore on.

Even though he had wanted them to go home, Jaden seemed to draw comfort from his friends being there, which was what they had hoped would happen. Although the one or two nightmares proved Renegade wasn't forgotten, Jade seemed more then happy to let them drive her from his mind.

"Come on Sy, pleeeeease?" Jaden begged, looking imploringly at his friend.

"I… uhm… oh alright," Syrus relented. "But just _one _duel, Jaden."

Jaden grinned, his eyes lighting up as he shuffled Syrus's cards

"So he finally won you over, did he?" a grinning Bastion commented as he entered.

"Yea," Syrus grumbled, shaking his head and yet smiling. "He always does."

Bastion laughed and grabbed the chair behind Chazz and next to Alexis, who looked torn between amusement and disapproval.

"Make it more interesting and put up a wager!" Chazz called, causing Alexis to slap him on the shoulder. "What?" he yelped, massaging the point her hand had collided with him. "It could just be a grilled cheese sandwich."

Bastion laughed.

"I must admit, I've started missing them now that Chumley is gone," he said in amusement.

"It's a pity his father wouldn't let him stay," Atticus said from his upside down position on his chair.

Alexis sighed at him but didn't bother trying to get him to sit normally; her arguments would just make him more adamant to stay that way.

"Is it just me or did those clouds appear pretty quickly?" Chazz suddenly asked, gazing out the window.

Those who weren't duelling walked over to the window and looked out.

"You're right Chazz; those weren't there ten minutes ago," Bastion said wonderingly.

"There was no forecast for a storm…" Alexis said quietly.

"And there still isn't one; apparently we're going to have sunny skies for the whole day," Zane said.

"So what's up with the freaky weather?" Atticus said, tipping his head to the one side to watch the clouds.

"I'm hoping it doesn't mean what I think it does," Zane murmured, but nobody heard him over Jaden's victory yell.

"No way, that was just a lucky draw!" Syrus grumbled good-naturedly.

"Best out of three?" Jaden's grin widened.

"No! I said just one duel! I said just-"

The two of them were on their third duel when Zane was proved right in his assumptions. The nurse came in, looking rather flustered.

"I'm so sorry, but there was a man here to see you. He kept on insisting that you come out here, but when I said that was impossible he got really irritated. Said I must just tell you he's here and that he'll be waiting for you at the same place as last time. He said he knows you'll be there to meet him."

"Did he say who he was?" Alexis asked gently, seeing she was jittery.

"No, he didn't let me get that far in questioning him. But he had the craziest hair and a pretty impressive belt on. Looked solid gold."

"Reaper," Jaden said quietly, making everybody turn to him.

His face was expressionless, but there was a stance of determination around him.

"Well then it's a good thing he didn't come in. Thank you, nurse Porter," Alexis said with a touch of venom in the beginning.

The nurse smiled, reassured and left.

"He said he 'knows you'll go to meet him.' Does he really expect you to?" Bastion snorted.

"Yes. And he's right; I am going," came Jaden's reply.

"Jay that's absolutely insane!" Syrus exclaimed. "He's the reason you're here in the first place!"

"Syrus if I don't go to him, he'll find another way at another time. Besides, I'm not going to back down from him."

_Even if he has my worst nightmare… _

"Well… how are you going to get there anyway? Chumley's gone, so he can't give you a piggyback there," Alexis snapped, grasping at straws.

"Chumley's gone, but we're not," Atticus replied, draping Jaden's one shoulder over his own.

"Atticus!" Alexis was giving him a death glare.

He just looked calmly back.

"Lex, Jaden's going to Reaper with, or without our help. It'll be easier for everyone if we just help him."

Bastion stepped forward and took Jaden's other side.

"Bastion!" Alexis was beyond furious.

"Sorry Lex, but I'm with Atti on this one."

"Well then," Jaden said, standing with the guys' help. "Let's go."

-x-x-x-

"I don't like this weather," Zane murmured, his eyes fixed on the sky.

"It's like deja vu," Alexis said tensely.

"Let's just hope this doesn't end the way it did last time," Chazz replied, his gaze flickering to Jaden before he added, "Or how it was supposed to end last time."

Atticus and Bastion were too busy keeping Jaden on his feet to listen in, and Jaden was too determined to reach Reaper to bother about anything else. At last, they arrived at the place the last duel had taken place, Bastion and Atticus somewhat regretting their decision as they looked at Jaden's pale face but knowing he would have gotten himself down there anyway.

"I knew you'd come."

Same voice, same eyes, same grin, same belt. In fact, the only thing different about Reaper as he grinned down at them was his shirt. Before it had been bottle green but that night it was a dark purple colour and made from thicker material.

"What do you want, Reaper?" Atticus asked coldly.

"I thought you bright sparks would be able to figure that one out by yourselves. No? Alright then I'll spell it out for you: I'm here to finish the duel."

"You're out of your mind," Alexis growled.

"There's no way Jaden can duel like this," Bastion agreed.

That made Reaper laugh his light yet chilling laugh.

"I told you she was angry," he said, highly amused. "And you of all people should know what that could mean, Jaden."

"He can't duel you," Syrus repeated, his voice uncharacteristically hard.

"I don't remember that tree doing anything to his vocal chords," Reaper tutted. "So he

can answer for himself. Jaden, are you ready to finish this?"

"He can't-"

"Reaper, get your game on!"

Everybody stuttered and faced Jaden in shock.

"Have you lost it too? You can't duel him like this!" Alexis cried.

"Jay, please," Syrus begged. "I know you want to get him back, but you can't!"

"I can, Sy. And I'm planning to," came the soft reply.

"Fro the love of atoms! You can barely stand!" Bastion exclaimed as Jaden took his arm off of the Ra Yellow's shoulders.

"Now, now boy," Reaper purred.

"Jaden don't be an idiot!" Alexis implored him.

But he paid them no attention. Instead he just steadied himself and then removed Atticus from under him as well. He swayed slightly and Atticus grabbed his arm, steadying him before slowly letting go.

"You don't have a Duel Disc, anyway," Chazz said, his arms folded.

"Yes he does," Reaper smirked, tossing one to Jaden, "You can go first."

"It'll be my pleasure," Jaden said, drawing a card.

"Oh honestly!" Alexis snarled, throwing her hands up in defeat. "Jaden you're such an _ass_."

Syrus said nothing, but his face was unusually tight as he watched his friend begin the duel by playing Avian in Defence Mode.

"This time I will finish you, Jaden Yuki. This time she will come to my hand to destroy you."

Reaper drew, glanced at the card and played it.

"I summon Harpy Lady in Attack Mode!"

"Already not good," Bastion murmured as the winged woman appeared, smiling and unsheathing her talons. "She can take out Avian and leave Jaden wide open."

"She can," Reaper agreed with a smirk. "But she won't. Not yet, anyway. I place a card facedown and end my turn."

"Why is he stalling?" Syrus asked in worry. "Is it to bring out Renegade?"

"Not entirely, but close," Reaper replied in a voice that suggested he was enjoying himself a lot. "I'm staling until the gateway opens, so it will be here when I finish the duel."

"What gateway?" Chazz scoffed at him.

"The gateway to the Beast Realm which is set to open here this afternoon." At their shocked faces he smirked wider "I told you; I follow the creation of gateways so I can send my victims to reacquaint themselves with their cards again. I saw that there was on that is set to open here today. Why else do you think I waited this long to come back, or why I told you to meet me here again? It's only because the gateway will open and you will be flung into it, Jaden."

"Not if I can help t," Jaden said, his voice rock solid in determination. "My move!"

Jaden's eyes lightened a bit as he drew Emergency Provisions. That would come in handy.

"I play the Spell Card, Pot of Greed! That adds two more cards to my hand. And I'll play both of 'em now! With the Spell Card Polymerisation, and Burstinatrix and Avian I summon the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

"Alright Jay!" Syrus cheered.

"Now Flame Wingman, take out his Harpy Lady!"

The Flame Wingman got ready to attack, but before he could move Reaper lazily waved his hand.

"Activate Spell Card, Swords of Revealing Light. This means you can't attack for three rounds, Jaden."

Jaden growled slightly, his hands baling into fists. This wasn't good.

"I place one card facedown and end my turn," he said tonelessly.

Reaper laughed as he drew.

"Now Jaden, this is supposed to be fun." He chuckled again. "I play Zombyra The Dark in Attack Mode!"

"That isn't too bad," Atticus said, trying to install some hope into everybody. "His Zombyra and Jaden's Hero are evenly matched."

"But Jaden can't attack!" Alexis said.

"Trust him," Zane replied quietly.

"Then all I think I'll do is place a card facedown. Your move, Jaden.

Jaden said nothing as he drew, and then played the Elemental Hero Clayman in Defence mode.

"And I'll end my turn by placing one card facedown," he concluded.

Reaper drew and his eyes glittered and his grin widened to breaking point as he saw the card in his hand.

"Oh Jaden! Guess who's come to join the duel"

Jaden didn't comment or act as though he'd heard Reaper at all.

"Your end begins now, Jaden. Now I have everything to take you out the way that pleases everybody. Everything to make you pay. I activate the Spell Card Fissure! It destroys the monster on your side of the field with the lowest Attack Points. So say goodbye Clayman."

Jaden could only grit his teeth as Reaper's facedown card was activated and destroyed his monster.

"Now Zombyra The Dark, take out his Flame Wingman!"

"What? But then his card will be destroyed too, not…" Syrus said perplexed.

"He must have something planned," Bastion said tightly as both monsters were destroyed before their eyes.

"You're right, as usually Bastion. I have indeed got something planned," Reaper laughed, looking like he was enjoying himself to no end. "I still have my Harpy…"

"That won't destroy Jaden!" Syrus yelled vehemently at him.

Reaper gave the short boy a cat-ate-the-canary smile.

"She's just here for a sacrifice, dear Syrus. Don't you remember that I have a deal to keep as well?" Turning back to Jaden he said, 'And now you know exactly which card I drew and which card I'm about to summon, Jaden."

Jaden had been shaking before the duel due to his lack on strength and by now the duel itself had taken a toll on him, even though he hadn't been hit yet. But it seemed to the watching gang that Jaden began to shake even more at Reaper's words.

"Please… no… Please don't."

It was the first time hey had ever heard Jaden beg earnestly for something other than food. It shocked and scared them, and made them remember Jaden's request to never see Renegade again.

"We have to do something!" Alexis choked.

"What, Lex? There's nothing we _can _do," Atticus replied through gritted teeth.

"Sorry, Jaden. But my loyalty is to her and not you. And it's more then my life's worth to stab her in the back. I sacrifice the Harpy Lady on my field and the Cure Mermaid in my hand to summon-"

"No!" Jaden begged, his lip bleeding where he had bitten it too hard.

"The Elemental Hero Renegade! Reaper bellowed with relish, throwing the card down.

The first things that Alexis saw of the appearing card were her wings. They were a bit shorter then Avian's and a bit wider but they were as heavily feathered as his and as black as his were white. The wings parted slightly from their position wrapped around the form to reveal Renegade's head. Her hair was, if it is possible, even blacker then her wings and it all fell in one length down to her wait except for her fringe, which was just longer then chin-length and parted in the middle to frame her face. Her face itself was more heart-shaped then anything else and the bit of skin one could see looked tanned. The rest of the skin on her face was hidden from them by her mask. It too was pitch black and started from the edges of her forehead by her temples where it immediately made a sharp V down to the bridge of her nose, displaying a fraction of her black eyebrows. The mask then travelled straight down over her nose until her nose ended where it made an even sharper V down to the sides of her jaw.

On the left side the two points of the mask met up not with a straight line, but with an abstract line that carried the impression of a slightly torn butterfly wing when it was viewed. The right side copied the same technique but it had an extra piece that extended from the end point on her jawbone to the middle of her chin in the form of a snake. The snake's eyes were made from a red stone, sharply sticking out against the black and emphasising her faded red lips. The eye holes were two oval islands in the sea of black, small and turned horizontally on their sides so they followed the shape of her eyes and forming sharp points on either side. Her eyes seemed to be, at first glance, black as well but then it was attested to just be her eyelids that were painted as she opened her eyes.

Her eyes… Alexis was short of breath as she stared into them. They were a deeper colour brown then even Jaden's but they seemed to have no end. One could swear they reached right into you; saw your soul itself and dragged it out into the open for all to see. But instead of the depthless quality of them being comforting it sent a chill down Alexis's spine as she finally managed to tear her gaze away.

Renegade's wings then swept back entirely to reveal her form and more than enough skin to tell that she was, indeed tanned. Her charcoal top had an open back to accommodate her wings and its sleeves were short and positioned just below her shoulders, leaving them bare. The top's neckline had little shape, but it was low enough without a big plunge. On her neck she wore a black choker made from a velvet-like material and with a red, diamond shaped jewel in its center. From just above her elbows she wore black arm warmers that ended as fingerless gloves on her hands. They seemed to be made from the same soft material as her top; not wool but not even resembling leather. Her skirt started where her hips where her shirt ended, as black as the rest of her outfit and made from the same material as the rest but had a see-through, black over layer. Both layers ended in uneven rips around her knee area, creating almost the same effect as the sides of her mask. Her feet were adorned with black boots that came up to the top of her calves. They didn't break the pattern of black although they appeared to be more leather-like. Finally the beauty was finished unfolding and she hovered, captivating, on Reaper's side of the field, her depthless eyes focused only on Jaden.

"Jaden," Syrus whispered, afraid for his friend who was, once again, frozen in fear, unable to move and unable to tear his gaze away from Renegade.

"This ends now, Jaden," Reaper chuckled. "You're done."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING.

"Any last words for your friends, Jaden?" Reaper was fining this more amusing than a comedy show. He had never expected it to go _this _well… "No? Alright then, your loss."

"He'll be ok, he'll be ok," Syrus murmured, more to himself than to anyone else. "She only has 2500 Attack Points… He'll be ok…"

"His _Life Points _will be ok. But as to whether Jaden himself will be ok and still have enough energy to continue duelling is another matter," Chazz said shortly.

Syrus bit his lip and everyone else was looking worried too. Even Zane wasn't as calm as usual.

"Why are you doing this to Jaden? Why not to Sarah?" Alexis yelled and nobody could tell if she was yelling at Reaper or Renegade herself.

It was, of course, Reaper who answered, with a shrug and outspread hands.

"_I _don't know why not the girl. Renegade said Jaden, and so Jaden it is. My job is to help them with their destruction, not wonder why or why not."

"But _she's _the one who really abandoned him! Jaden may own the other Elemental Heroes, but Renegade was made by _her_!"

"And she chose Jaden to come after," Reaper overrode calmly. Then his eyes glittered and his sharp teeth gleamed. "So let's not keep her waiting, shall we? Now Jaden knows about her special ability, but just so everyone is clued in: for every dark attributed monster in my graveyard, she gains 400 extra Attack Points. Of course, I have to give up 100 Life Points every time she powers up, but I think it's worth it, don't you?"

He was still grinning his carnivorous grin as his Life Points decreased to 3900 and Renegade's Attack Points shot up to 2900.

"Maybe his Facedown is a Trap…" Atticus said with false hope in his voice.

"Even if it is, I don't think Jaden will snap out of it quick enough to play it."

"So then it's over? Jaden Yuki finally loses his soul and his almost spotless winning record?" Alexis whispered with a tremor in her voice.

It was just not right.

Before anyone could answer or think of pleading, Reaper started laughing again.

"Now, Jaden, she'll get her wish. She'll be the one to destroy you, tom take you down. If she doesn't manage it this round, she'll do it in the next. You know as well as I do that she will never give up, never stop trying. I wonder who she got that from…"

He broke off to laugh again, still finding everything amusing and entertaining.

"Now, Renegade, he's all yours. Attack him with your Black Blades."

In a sort of fixed horror they watched Renegade bend down and pull something out of each one of her boots. Twin daggers. They were as long as the Queen's forearm with glinting blades and black metal hilts entwined with carvings of roses. They all held their breaths, but nothing happened. Renegade stayed where she was on her side of the field, shaking slightly. Bastion's mind was in a whirl. He didn't know which was more surprising and terrifying: a Duel Monster shaking or disobeying a direct command. Surely even the Shadow Games didn't give then that much life, that much control? How was that even possible?

Reaper looked about as stunned as the rest and his smile finally slipped.

"Renegade?" his voice held controlled anger; he wasn't stupid enough to lose his temper with this particular card. He knew it would result in dire circumstances.

Renegade turned and looked at him, twitching her hands, whether in impatience or against some force that was compelling her. Bastion couldn't be sure which option it was or what that force could be.

"I don't understand. I see, but I don't understand.," reaper said in a cooler voice, his eyes on the Monster.

And then Bastion, closest to the terrifying beauty, thought he really was losing his mind. Not only was he the only one who appeared to see Renegade shaking for what ever reason, but he could have sworn he saw her lips pull back into a snarl. He immediately dismissed the thought as he blinked an the Monster's face was the same as it always had been. Monsters didn't snarl or shake. They weren't alive this much, not even in Shadow Games. He would have noticed before, even if it was slightly possible. She was refusing Reaper's order, yes, but that was the only unusual thing she was doing. No shaking, no snarling. Just disobeying.

Which was odd enough on its own.

Whatever happened that second after Reaper's statement it made him blink and scowl slightly.

"Never mind," he said quickly, regaining his smile, posture and enthusiasm. "I suppose it is more… sentimental… if Renegade uses the attack you thought up for her against you, Jaden. Renegade, attack him with your imitation of 'the kiss of death.'"

Renegade's hands (Bastion noted with renewed relief that he was still sane and they weren't shaking) quickly flicked the daggers back into the sheaths that obviously resided on the inside of her boots and then started forward with exaggerated slowness, not taking her eyes off of Jaden for a second. Out of Jaden's mouth came a weird whimpering noise, something they had never heard him utter before. He was still frozen in exactly the same position, his eyes unable to look away from the depthless, soul grabbing eyes of his attacker. Renegade stopped only a few inches in front of Jaden and then, with only a split second of hesitation, attacked him like Reaper had told her to. Her lips crushed down onto his and, as if to make sure he wouldn't pull away, her hands grasped his cheeks. That movement finally made Jaden unfreeze as his eyes widened even more and he struggled against her. But the struggle went on only for a brief moment before he gave up the weak fight, letting his eyes slip closed and his whole body relax towards Renegade. The watching crowed were very aware how slowly yet deliberately Jaden's Life Points lowered.

"Fight her, Jaden!" Syrus moaned, panic-stricken and worried.

"He can't, Sy," Zane answered quietly. "It's still a duel, and the rules still apply."

There was something in his voice that hinted he had more to say but he was rather keeping his speculations to himself. Bastion threw a glance at him, then went back to watching Renegade sap Jaden dry.

_Does Zane see it or am I really going nuts? _he wondered in his thoughts. _The shaking, the snarling, and now… this? Jaden's Life Points are going down so gradually… It's almost as if… It's impossible, but it's almost as if she's attacking him _gently. _She's not holding him down either… From what I'm seeing now, her kiss looks almost… tender… _

Bastion shook his head, stopping the insane, impossible thoughts. He had just been watching too many soppy movies… right? He continued to stare at renegade, wanting to find something that mad him sure he had been hallucinating. But when Jaden had finally lost the correct number of Life Points and his knees had given way to fatigue long ago, Renegade actually took his elbows and gently lowered him onto his knees instead of just letting him fall. He had never seen an attacking Monster help its adversary before… This was just too weird…

Reaper wasn't looking too happy about something as Renegade quickly flew back to his side of the field, but it looked like he knew he could say nothing. And his mood brightened dramatically at the sight of a heavily breathing Jaden clutching his ribs on his knees on the floor, his eyes still wide and staring, though now focused on the ground.

"Well there's nothing else I can do for this round, so I'll end my turn. Go ahead, Jaden, if you can."

"Come on, Jay!" Syrus yelled, and everybody else took up the cry, willing Jaden to get up and continue.

But Jaden could not stand. Fatigue and injury made it impossible, and yet the determined look they all knew so well returned to his face and he continued the duel from the ground.

"I play Emergency Provisions! So I gain a1000 extra Life Points."

"Futile; Renegade will still crush you," Reaper sneered.

Jaden, however, chose to ignore him. He was also looking everywhere except at the Queen of Shadows.

"I play Hero Boy in defence mode and end my turn."

Reaper laughed his laugh again and drew.

"I must commend you, Jaden. You hang on even with the tiniest thread… Renegade, show that little boy what your Blades can do."

Ad this time the heroine did not hesitate with her blades. They were out in an instant, twirled once as she flew towards Jaden's defending Monster and plunged deep into it in less time it had taken her to walk over to Jaden in the last round. Chazz couldn't help gaping; there was something about the way renegade attacked that reminded him of dancing. The attack was deadly, piercing and sure but it was done with so much grace and beauty he wondered if he would actually move if Renegade attacked _him_…

"Alrighty," Reaper said in a sing-song voice. "Now it's time to-"

But he broke off in mid-sentence and both he and Renegade looked up in unison. Following their lead the rest saw the sky had become a blaze of light in the small space directly above them. The way the lights shimmered made them think of a bubble caught in an array of sunlight as indeed it looked as if they could jump into the lights like they were a doorway…

Reaper uttered a string of profanities that made their ears burn. Looking at him they saw his calm had finally shattered. He was glaring at the lights and his sharp teeth were bared.

"I wanted to finish him!" he spat, looking rather mad. "I wanted to feel him beneath me, cowering! I wanted to smell his defeat and see the doom in his eyes!"

Renegade suddenly dropped her gaze back down to Reaper, turning at the same time so her winged back was towards them all. Reaper glanced at her and his face twisted, and then he got himself back under control. He actually started laughing again, the noise causing goosebumps on their arms.

"Oh well," he sighed. "It would have been nice to… But either way you'll end up in there with her so…" he suddenly shrugged and touched his belt, making the Shadow Charm began to glow.

"He's backing out _again_?!" Alexis yelped.

"Unfortunately, your demise will not be my pleasure tonight, Jaden Yuki. But have fun, and if you make it out alive, I'll be waiting for a re-match."

And then he was gone, again taking all the holograms with him.

"Jaden!" Syrus moaned, at once rushing to his friend's side with everyone in hot pursuit.

"Why did he leave?" Atticus muttered to himself as he and Bastion gently pulled Jaden to his feet again.

"I don't know," Bastion replied, panting slightly as now it took much more effort on all three boys' parts to keep Jaden upright. "It had something to do with the lights appa-" he broke off with a gasp.

His eyes had been travelling upwards towards the lights to investigate them when he had seen yet another impossible, insane thing: Renegade stood on the outcropping branch of a tree some three meters above the ground. She looked so real as the wind whipped her hair, clothes and feathers of her folded wings. She was too far away to be sure, but it looked as though her eyes were locked onto Jaden yet again. Gasps from everyone made him think for a wild moment they had seen her too, but their horror was for an entirely different reason.

"The lights!" Syrus panicked, watching in horror as the mass of colour descended on them as swiftly as rain.

"How…?" Bastion began, his gaze off his illusion of Renegade and onto the shimmering mass of colour.

But he never got to finish his question and nobody got to think of an answer for at that moment a spinning feeling took over them as the lights blotted out the rest of the world. Bastion and Atticus felt Jaden slip from their grasps, but they were falling and try as they might they couldn't see or feel him in the mass of whirling colour. And then it all went black.

-x-x-x-x-

The wind seemed to have stopped and the sun was definitely not hidden behind clouds any more; he could feel it on his back. Atticus moaned slightly and forced his eyes open. He blinked and sat up, idly wondering if he was dreaming. He was certainly not at the Duel Academy anymore, let alone on it's grounds. Instead he was in a meadow with small hills all around and long grass that came up to his chest as he knelt on the ground. The flowers were strangely surreal; there but idly imaginary-looking. He concluded it _had_ to be dream. Wondering why he was there he stood up and looked around for anything of value. His eyes fell on something lying in the grass that looked suspiciously like…

"Alexis? Lex!"

He was quickly at her side and shaking her awake.

"Huh? What?" Alexis muttered, her eyes fluttering open. "Atticus? Where are we?"

"I dunno," he replied truthfully, pulling her up. "I think you're in my dream."

Alexis gave him a look that told him she was questioning his sanity.

"How can I be in your dream, doofus? I'm wide awake."

Atticus cocked his head to the side and thought about that.

"Well, if you are a figment of my dream you would say something like… Hey there's Bastion and Chazz!"

They were now certain neither of them was dreaming as they woke first Bastion and Chazz and then Zane and Syrus, whom they found a little way away.

"These flowers are really… peculiar…" Bastion said quizzically, bending down to study one.

"They look almost… virtual… or something…"

"Everything does," Zane murmured, looking up at the sky. "It's all real, alright, but not like we're used to."

"Yea this all looks real… It just… doesn't at the same time?" Syrus was so unsure it turned into a question.

"Wait a minute," Alexis ended their speculations. "Where's Jaden?"

For a second they just stood and looked at each other and then as one they all split up and started to comb the grass for their missing friend. They found nothing.

"He couldn't have woken up before us and walked off, could he?"

"No. Even if he wasn't injured, Jaden would never have left us."

"Maybe he- What was that?"

They all fell silent and the noise came again; growling. In fear they all drew closer together, forming a sort of bundle.

"What _is _that?" Syrus whispered, his voice shaking.

"Maybe we should get out of here," Chazz said a little nervous.

"Too late," a husky voice sneered from inside the grass.

And then they all saw what had been growling as the sources moved out of the cover of the grass and into the open, forming a circle around them. They were all huddled together at the center of a circle of at least twenty growling Plague Wolves.

The Duel Monsters' card Plague Wolf.

Except they were not mere holograms now. They stood as real as day, yet with the same slightly surreal tint to them, grinning and growling at their prey. Chazz gulped. He was being hunted by a card from a game. The Wolf that had spoken before chuckled.

"Well, well boys, looks like it's our lucky day! An entire group of humans has wound up in an unprotected part…"

There was a chorus of sneering chuckles from all the Wolves.

"What the hell?" Chazz barked, fear once again making him angry. "Who are you supposed to be? And where are we?"

"We are supposed to be your consumers," the lead Wolf sneered back. "Because you, human, have landed in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are so many of you… The dessert of our kind… Tonight we feast!" He barked another laugh and crouched into a spring as the others did the same. "Welcome, for your last time, to the Beast Realm."

He bared his teeth and leapt at Syrus, the closest and the smallest. But he never reached the boy. Something slammed into him and sent him tumbling into the wall of his pack, missing Syrus by at least seven inches.

"Back away," an authoritive voice commanded from the same direction the silent attack had come from.

Everyone swiftly looked to the side and the humans' eyes widened even more. The speaker and the leader of their band of saviours was none other than the Elemental Hero Avian. On his left stood the Elemental Heroes Clayman and Bubbleman and on his right was Sparkman, his stance revealing he was the one who had attacked. The sight of the Elemental Heroes sent the pack into a wild frenzy of growling, yet they did not move an inch to attack; the Heroes had the Wolves in a position of respect and fear.

"Back off yourselves! They landed _here_! They're _ours_," the leader snapped.

"You know the law," Avian replied gravely. "No human is to be harmed. Whether or not we were around when they arrived does not matter. We are here now and they are under our protection."

"We will not leave peacefully!" the leader snapped.

Bubbleman, Sparkman and Clayman all tensed into fighting positions and the leader changed his mind. With a howl of fury he backed off and thundered away, his pack on his heels.

"Damn, I wanted to fight them…" Sparkman sighed as he straightened up.

"Yea, _you _would have liked that, wouldn't you?" Bubbleman grinned.

"Are you kids alright?" Clayman grunted.

The gang were not physically able to do anything other then stand there and stare with their mouths open. Although Zane looked half composed after a moment and Syrus was regaining some colour.

"Alexis? Bastion? Syrus? Are you lot alright?" Avian asked the front three humans, starting to sound worried.

"I think they're just in shock, Avian," Bubbleman soothed. "I doubt they really know where they are and they've already been attacked. And I don't think us standing around talking and knowing them all by name helps whatsoever."

"Well then why don't we just explain it too them? Jeeze… Ok, kids, it's explanation time," Sparkman said, clapping his hands together and making the humans jump as they made a noise like striking lightning. "You are in the Beast Realm," he said, speaking clearly and slowly. "You must have been forced in here against your will by a human to have landed in an unprotected area."

"Yes, we're sorry about those idiots," Bubbleman put in, motioning in the direction the Plague Wolves had disappeared. "We would have been here sooner, but by the time we realized you'd come there were two possible places you could have landed. And it took us a bit of time to… erm… sort out who would check which location." He shot Sparkman a look.

"Never mind, you're safe now," Avian said calmly. "We'll get you to the HQ and sort you out from there-"

"Avian," Clayman interrupted in alarm. "Jaden's not with them!"

Avian stopped talking at once and scanned the group. Sparkman let slip a very colourful word that made Bubbleman cuff him over the head.

"He must have been tugged loose from the group because he alone was supposed to come here… Oh gosh… Someone needs to find Burstinatrix and-"

"No need, she found you," a female voice called.

The fiery red heroine landed a moment later, her face seemingly puzzled to why Avian sounded so distressed.

"Trix, he's not with them," Avian replied tightly.

Burstinatrix's eyes widened but she only shot one look towards the group before she seemed to accept it.

"You and Clayman take them to Head Quarters and the three of us will find Jaden," Avian concluded.

"Should I cut Necroshade, Wildheart and Bladedge's holidays short so they can help?" she asked without a word of complaint.

"No, it will take too much time and hassle to find them and get them here. We're fine," Avian replied, but there was stress in his voice. "I just hope we find him before…" he stopped and took off into the air.

Sparkman and Bubbleman followed him silently and soon the three were out of sight.

"Come on, let's get you lot to HQ so we can fix you up," Burstinatrix said slightly heavily, eying their dusty clothes and few scrapes.

"Will they… They will find him, right?" Syrus asked timidly.

Burstinatrix shot him a reassuring smile.

"Of course. Don't you worry; Jaden will be fine."

The last sentence she said rather fiercely, as if she was daring fate to try and make things otherwise. She then started to lead the way, on foot because the humans couldn't fly, with Clayman right at the back, keeping them safely between the two Heroes. As they walked the trees and flowers started to give way to small and very different houses, most simply just dug into a wall of earth. The flowers and trees, however, did not lose their surreal feeling.

"What's up with the flowers?" Chazz asked, unable to keep silent any longer.

"Oh that's right," Burstinatrix said after studying the flowers for a moment with a puzzled expression. "They look different to your eyes, don't they? It's just because they are part of this realm, and not of yours. Your plants would probably look the same to us."

"But you don't look that way," Chazz argued, looking at the heroine.

"We travel in and out of your realm," she replied calmly. "Mostly during Shadow Duels, but at other times too. And we were… 'made'… by humans. This realm and its nature was not."

"You… You actually travel into our realm during a Shadow Duel?!" Bastion gawped.

"In a matter of speaking, yes. Even though Shadow Duels are few, thankfully, travelling fully to your realm every time there was one on would get rather annoying. Especially for the more common Monsters, for you see we completely vanish from this realm all together; we can't be completely in two realms at once. Instead we just let part of our minds travel to the duel, so we know what's going on, but we still stay here and carry on with our lives."

"But you can go to our realm completely?" Syrus asked, his eyes wide.

"We can," she agreed. "We just choose not to."

"If you do choose to… travel… to our realm with both body and mind, would you be… alive? You know, able to think, move without us telling you to and maybe… snarl for instance?" Bastion was thinking of Renegade and whether what he had seen had been as impossible as he thought.

"We could, because we'd be really there; as real as any one of you. But it's completely against our law to do so, as it would be interfering with the duel," Burstinatrix explained willingly, still leading them on.

"What about when you come to our realm outside of a duel? As a Duel Spirit, I mean?" Chazz asked hurriedly, hoping to get some information on how to get rid of his three annoying roommates.

"Only weaker Monsters can travel freely as Spirits to your realm as the… let's call it a wall… that separates our realms doesn't hold them back as it does us stronger ones. We can also go as Duel Spirits, but it takes a lot more effort and other things. And when they travel to your realm as a Spirit they disappear from this realm; there are no in-betweens with this one. So they are almost a hundred percent there, but they can't do much damage because they are so weak. Which is why they make good messengers and reporters."

"Is that how you knew we were coming?" Alexis asked.

"No, we have a machine at HQ that tells us whenever a human comes through a gate. It's our job as the legal authorities to make sure they all get out of here safely and that no Monster harms them. It's usually easy as they land somewhere close to town. But because you were taken in against your will you landed further away, but two gates were open at the same time and so we weren't sure exactly how far off course or which direction you went."

"But how did you know it was us?" Zane enquired quietly. "There must be millions of humans on Earth…"

Burstinatrix gave him a small smile over her shoulder.

"All of us have this… intuition. We can… feel… when our 'owner' is near us. The Cyber Dragons 'felt' you, Zane, and Cyber Tutu 'felt' Alexis and so we added two and two together with our own feelings…" she shrugged.

"You all really care for Jaden, don't you?" Alexis murmured, seeing the worry and fondness in the heroine.

"He cares for us; we're simply returning the favour," Burstinatrix replied, her tone gentle.

"Wait a minute," Syrus suddenly yelped. "You said 'Cyber Dragons' as in plural… How many are there?!"

"Living with us at HQ, three. I'm not sure how many there are in total in the realm. The rarer the Duel Monsters card is in your realm, the fewer the Monsters are here. And if the card's one of a kind, then there's only one Monster here," Burstinatrix chuckled at the look on Syrus's face.

"Can they fuse?" he stuttered.

"Yes, if there are three around who are all willing to. No Polymerisation card is needed in here, although those Monsters who need special conditions to fuse first need to get the conditions."

"What happens when they want to defuse? Or if they get destroyed? Do they just automatically defuse then?" Bastion was talking quickly and his eyes were wide. This all fascinated him.

Burstinatrix chuckled at the humans' awed faces and continued to freely dish out information.

"When they want to defuse, they just simply do. It's like you playing Diffusion in a duel. If they are attacked and have no energy left to hold the fusion, they will defuse also. The Attack Points on the cards give a good indication of how strong the Monster is here. But, unlike in a duel, once a Monster is destroyed here it's over. He is dead and there is no way to bring him back. He disappears from the realm after a while and his card in your realm goes blank. Which is why it's harder to kill a Monster here."

There was silence as the humans absorbed all the information they had just received. Syrus felt as if his head would explode with it all. For a while all that was heard was their feet crunching on the ground beneath them before Bastion thought of something else.

"Burstinatrix? You said it was your job to protect the humans that come here, but Reaper told us that when he sends his victims here they get punished by their old Monsters…?"

There was a crunching sound as Clayman's hands balled into fists and Burstinatrix's back went rigid.

"Reaper sends in souls," she said through clenched teeth. "We… We can't stop the souls from being attacked once they're his," she added, making an effort to be calm.

They let the subject drop as they sensed it was not a favourite amongst the Heroes. Inwardly they were very glad they had come as body and not just as soul. They walked for a while longer until a huge building sprang up out of the horizon. The humans all gasped in wonder at the sight. It looked exactly like the kind of HQ one would expect to find in a comic book.

"It's pretty big, isn't it?" Burstinatrix laughed. "But it's not all for us: some other Monsters live in the downstairs rooms we don't use."

"Who… Did the building plans?" Bastion gasped.

"Marvel Comics," Burstinatrix grinned. "We took a bit out of every HQ in them and made ours. And we returned the comics to their owners when we were done, naturally."

Inside was every comic fanatic's dream come true. As they walked along the halls and up the flights of stairs, the doors alongside kept opening and Monsters stuck their heads out to greet the Elemental Heroes or just to gawp at the kids.

"This is the control room," Burstinatrix said with her hand on the only door on the third story. "There are some sleeper couches in one corner and some curtains to pull around them to make a make-shift room where our human guests usually sleep. If it's too much of a squeeze we'll think of another plan."

"So you usually let the humans sleep here? How come?" Alexis was curious again.

"It's far too dangerous to send humans back through a gate when they are hurt. And sometimes they're just too tired or scared and so we give them a place to sleep and heal."

The main control room was empty of Monsters and after telling the humans to take a seat on one of the sleeper couches the hero and heroine began to quickly check the monitors and screens that littered the walls of the vast room.

"Any sign of Jaden?" Zane asked quietly.

"Not yet. But don't worry, they'll find him. They-"

"Trix, I tried to stop her, I really did, but she just wouldn't listen!" the newcomer wailed, bursting through the door.

Alexis started; the Monster that had just entered was Cyber Tutu. She was looking rather upset about something, but she still managed to wave at Alexis.

"Tried to stop who?" Burstinatrix asked in surprise.

"Me, apparently."

They had never seen the Monster that stepped through the door next. She resembled the image of the queen on a normal deck of playing cards, except she was about four sizes larger and had hair that was a vivid red. She wore a tall hat that resembled a tea cosy and both it and her long, petticoated dress were both red with black crests, clashing horribly with her hair. She wore a haughty expression on her face, making the gang all realize she was an authority figure.

"Lady Takoona. What a surprise," Burstinatrix said in a flat voice.

It was apparently an unwelcome surprise for the heroine.

"I heard there was a problem with the arrival of some humans; of course I came," Lady Takoona sniffed in a voice that sounded like she had a cold.

She eyes the humans sitting on the couch with the air of inspecting cattle at a stall. Then her eye fell on Cyber Tutu who was still hovering at the door.

"Well what are you still standing around for? You are not an Elemental Hero; you do not belong in their control room. Scram back down to your own room!"

Cyber Tutu gave Burstinatrix a 'good luck' look, pulled a face behind Lady Takoona's back and winked at Alexis before she gratefully departed.

"Children, I am Lady Takoona," the large lady said very slowly to the humans, as though she was speaking to dim-witted toddlers.

The gang all saw Burstinatrix roll her eyes behind Takoona's back.

"I am a member of the Council of Beasts. What does the Council do, you ask?" The humans gave each other sideways glances. "Well all four members work to keep the Beast Realm under order. We are the Parliament, to put it one way, and we make sure the Elemental Heroes keep the justice."

"Not that you do any of the actual work yourselves," Burstinatrix muttered under her breath. "Lady Takoona, never before has the safety of humans brought you out here, so what is the real reason we are honoured with your visit?" she asked in a normal volume.

"We heard Reaper was involved and so obviously we had to come and make sure everything was in order and above board. That, and we need notice of where they will be staying while the boy recovers after you move them out of Head Quarters."

"Why would we move them out of HQ?" Burstinatrix was looking weary now. "The human visitors have always stayed here before, even when recovery would take a few days. I don't see why this time should be any different, especially seeing as Jaden is the boy in question."

"Jaden is the precise reason they have to move," Lady Takoona replied in a clipped tone.

Burstinatrix's face turned stony and Clayman, standing next to the children, cast a weary glance at her hands. Following his gaze the humans saw Burstinatrix's hands were balled into fists and that smoke was beginning to rise from them.

"You think because it's Jaden we won't do our jobs right?" her voice was low but there was a menacing note to it. "That's the reason you want to move them?"

"The reason we want to move them," Lady Takoona replied in a stony voice, drawing herself up. "Is because the Detention Center is releasing your little rebel today."

Anger vanished at once from Burstinatrix.

"Oh… Gosh… I'd forgotten…" She relaxed her hands. "We'll tell you as soon as we know where they're staying," she said, rather sheepishly.

"Thank you," the lady replied dryly. "That is," she added as she was halfway out the door. "If you find him."

"We _will _find him," Burstinatrix snarled, her hands smoking furiously.

-x-x-x-

The air was sharp and smelt of clean, open space as they rushed through it. Their eyes never left the ground as they frantically searched. They hoped this was the direction he had landed; it was their last option. They were getting desperate and worried, something they rarely felt.

"Avian, Wolf tracks." Bubbleman pointed to the marks in the soil below them.

"We scared them off the other way…" Sparkman said in a tight voice.

They flew faster and lower, desperate yet still hoping. A new scent filled the air: blood. As soon as Bubbleman, the last in the trio, smelt it he let out a groan. It was not a good sign. If Jaden was bleeding that much…

They rounded a corner of rock and all froze in mid-air. The smell of blood was instantly explained by the sight that greeted them. At least a third of the Plague Wolf pack lay on the ground, their bodies leaking the red liquid. Jaden had been protected from their attack, and his protector was still there, holding him and keeping him warm. Avian landed and walked over to saviour and human, his face blank of the shock that all three Elemental Heroes felt.

"I was never here," the protector said forcefully, looking straight at Avian. "I was where I was supposed to be. I did not protect him."

"Of course," Avian agreed, taking Jaden into his own arms and never looking away once from the depthless, soul grabbing brown eyes tat bored into his.

-x-x-x-

Burstinatrix had started pacing. Clayman sat next to the children on the couch and watched her. The only other being in the room was a Monster that Syrus had seen before but couldn't name. He did know that she had healing powers and would be able to give Jaden the boost he needed to heal completely in a few days. But Jaden wasn't there yet.

"Where _are _they?!" the heroine exploded, her palms smoking again in her panic and anger. "Surely they must have found him by now! Unless he… FINALLY!"

She stopped in mid step, her eyes on the door. A moment later Bubbleman opened it and swiftly held it for Avian. The winged hero entered with Jaden and without a word he carried the brunette human to another sleeper couch which had been folded open. The rest of the humans tensed and winced in varying degrees of horror at how Jaden looked. They had only been able to catch a swift glimpse of him and so they were unable to tell if he was more hurt then before. The Elemental Heroes stood in tension also, watching the healer's hands as they moved over Jaden.

"He'll be fine," the healer said in a soft, matter-of-fact voice. "Give him five or so days, if nothing else happens to him."

"Took you long enough!" Burstinatrix snapped at Avian after the healer had left. But there was no real anger in her voice and she sad it softly so Jaden wouldn't be woken.

"Sorry," was all Avian said, but it was heartfelt. "At least we were able to get him back without too many further injuries."

'The Plague Wolves didn't go after him? That's odd… They're usually a bunch of bloodthirsty…"

"No, they didn't go after him in that sense. They went past him, but left him alone. They probably thought he was already dead."

Burstinatrix raised her eyebrow. That made no sense at all. And Avian refused to look her directly in the eye; he could never properly lie to her. Add that to the swift glance he gave Spark- and Bubbleman before he answered and she knew there was definitely something up. But she let it go, partly because she knew the straight-faced hero had to have a good reason for lying and partly because Jaden started to wake up. The Heroes started towards him, eager to finally meet him and see if he was alright. Bubbleman was the only one who didn't move.

"Errr… Guys? Big, scary, talking and supposedly fictional monsters by his bedside when he wakes up?" he said pointedly.

"Oh, right."

They retreated, looking rather disappointed, and Burstinatrix beckoned for the humans to go forward. They were on their feet and hurrying to their friend at once. Jaden twitched and his eyes opened slowly.

"Jaden? Jaden, you ok?"

Jaden blinked a couple of times then winced once.

"Yea… I'm just really hungry." They all grinned. "But I had the weirdest dream about Reaper…"

"Yea uhm… Jay… that… wasn't a dream," Alexis said, shooting a look at Bastion.

"It really all happened," Bastion added gently.

Jaden's face filled with a rush of emotions so fast they couldn't tell which had been there. But they were almost sure fear had featured.

"So… the lights?" he asked, now composed.

"They _were _a gate… And uhm… they transported us to the Beast Realm…" Syrus glanced behind him at the silent Heroes.

Jaden, noticing his diverted attention, looked too. And his eyes went huge.

"I know it's a bit of a shock-" Alexis began, trying to sooth him.

"Cool!" Jaden laughed, cutting her off in mid-sentence.

That acceptance was all the invitation the Elemental Heroes needed. They were all by Jaden's side in the blink of an eye and they all began to talk to him. Jaden's grin continued to get bigger as he listened to his _Duel Monsters _explain what had happened to everyone since they had arrived. They told everything from the need-to-know things down to the little details. But when they finished Jaden looked a little puzzled.

"So… Trix never… uhm… held me?" He looked rather sheepish at the way it sounded.

"No…" Syrus replied. "The only female who touched you was the healer. Why?"

"I thought I felt someone… Never mind, must have been a dream," Jaden said, shaking his head.

Burstinatrix wondered why Avian, Sparkman and Bubbleman shifted as though they were guilty. Again she let it go.

"Jaden, we'll let your friends fill you in on everything I told them after we get you to your new place of residence." She smiled at him.

The three Heroes who had not been around for Lady Takoona's visit looked at her in surprise.

"New residence? Aren't they staying here?" Bubbleman looked faintly hurt.

"No, bec-"

"But the human guests almost always stay here!" Sparkman almost yelled.

"I know," Burstinatrix tried again. "But-"

"Is this Takoona's doing?" Avian looked fairly irritated.

"_No. _Well, partly. But-"

"How dare she! This is not under her authority!" Avian raged.

"Would you lot SHUT UP and let me explain?" Burstinatrix exploded. She took a deep breath as they all kept quiet at once. "Thank you. They can't stay here because of the circumstances-"

"What circumstances?" Sparkman interrupted before shrinking back slightly at Burstinatrix's murderous glare.

"The imprisonment time the Detention Center decreed ends today."

Avian's eyes widened and even the other two looked shocked and suddenly very understanding.

"_Oh_!"

"What's the Detention Center?" Jaden asked curiously.

"It's almost like a jail, except not as… bad… because the Monsters generally don't do horrendous crimes," Avian replied almost automatically.

"And someone you know is being let out today?" Jaden was by now half sitting and very curious, as were the rest of the humans.

"Well… Actually it's someone who lives here…" Bubbleman shifted nervously.

"And so you have to move us out," Zane said calmly.

Alexis, however, was confused.

"But what about all the other times humans came to stay here? Was the Monster not living here or not… off the path yet?" she asked.

"Well…" Avian was finding it difficult to explain and looked at Burstinatrix for help.

"There's never been a time when- what was it Lady Takoona named…? Ah yes, our 'little rebel'- when our 'little rebel' wasn't… 'on the path'… But before, it's never been a problem having humans stay here…" Burstinatrix tried to explain.

"Because… your 'little rebel' wasn't as bad then?" Chazz asked.

"No it's not that… There have been no major changes in values or behaviour… It's just the circumstances…" Bubbleman hedged.

"Circumstances?" Bastion asked. "Like the crime your… 'little rebel' committed?"

"What was the crime anyway?" Atticus asked.

"Murder actually…" Burstinatrix mumbled, playing with her own fingers and sensing the shock on the humans' faces. "But there's never been any danger," she assured them quickly. "It's just… Who you are…"

The humans all gave each other surprised looks, wondering what any of them had done to make a convict Monster hate them. Avian interrupted their musings.

"We'll tell you the full story later. Right now, we have to get you out of here before our 'little rebel' returns."

Sparkman suddenly whirled towards the door and stiffened.

"Too late, our 'little rebel' is home," he said tightly.

They all froze and sure enough the sound of footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs, softly yet with absolute surety and confidence. The Heroes formed themselves in an inconspicuous yet tight ring around the humans, hiding them from view from anyone who stepped through the door but not looking suspicious at all. They would protect the humans without the 'rebel' knowing about it. The footsteps got closer and then there was a slight crunch as the Monster kicked the door open with cheeky bravado. As the door swung open, they heard a voice that was haunting, enchanting and somehow familiar.

"I'm home," called the voice.

And then through the door stepped the Elemental Hero Renegade.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX or Disney's Anastasia.

As a hologram Renegade had looked pretty. As a real life Monster, she was devastatingly beautiful. Zane was reminded of Ancient Greek myths of woman who used their raw beauty to draw their prey in. Renegade looked that type as she entered almost lazily. Her movements made the Elemental Heroes surrounding the humans tense even more. Zane looked down at Jaden and found the Slifer's face frozen in horror, disbelief and understanding. Yes, it all made sense now, why they were the only people who were in danger from the rebel heroine. She would not have attacked them if they hadn't been with Jaden.

"Hey, Renegade," Sparkman said and he alone seemed relaxed.

Renegade grinned at him, the action showing her gleaming white teeth. But to Zane's surprise they did not look carnivorous; he had been expecting her smile to be a female version of Reaper's.

"How was your... vacation?" Sparkman drawled, keeping her eyes on him, just in case.

Renegade shrugged, crossing her ankles and leaning against the wall.

"Same old. I got the same room as last time. Had a very nice view."

Burstinatrix tensed up even more as her suspicions grew; Renegade was far too guarded and tense herself. Avian seemed to notice this as well because he shot Clayman as look. The bigger Elemental Hero understood the look at once.

"Renegade, I need you to help me, please, with the things outside."

Renegade's eyebrow raised, but she shrugged and kicked herself from the wall with one smooth movement.

"I'll be right down," Clayman told her, knowing he couldn't move without exposing the humans.

This time they could have sworn she rolled her eyes, but there was no way to be sure.

"Fine," was all she said, turning towards the door. "But I think you should know," she added, pausing halfway out to look back straight at Avian. "I'm not as stupid as you think I am."

Then she was gone, but her departure didn't make Avian relax at all.

"Avian? What's wrong? What does she mean?" Bubbleman asked anxiously.

"It means she knows he's here at HQ," Avian said softly, still not moving an inch.

Everyone threw looks at Jaden, who was staring down at his hands.

-x-x-x-

Only Clayman had left the room to go downstairs to Renegade. The rest stayed almost exactly where they had been, protecting the humans, especially Jaden. They hadn't spoken again since Renegade had left but their worry had peaked.

"How did she know?" Avian mumbled, breaking the long stretch of silence. "How did she know _all of this_?"

"I don't know," Burstinatrix started heavily. Then she frowned. "Wait a minute, what do you mean _'all of this'_? What else did she know about?"

The heroine knew as soon as all three of the heroes shifted at the same time that Renegade had something to do with the lies told earlier.

"Alright that's it," she thundered. "What really happened out there?"

Not even Avian was able to hold his gaze to her glare for long. His resolve shattered, but just as he opened his mouth a sudden explosion of noise came from outside.

"What the..."

Bubbleman moved quickly to the left wall and pressed a silver button. The button caused the wall to fold open, creating a form of balcony. Everyone, including a supported Jaden, curiously stepped onto it and looked down. Below them stood Clayman, holding the remains of some form of rock. Renegade stood beside him, arms folded, staring at a group of three Monsters that were half lizard, half man. All three of them were laughing and one was holding a spear-like object that had obviously been the cause of the noise.

"Them again," Avian sighed, shaking his head.

"Who are they?' Syrus asked, standing on his tiptoes to see better.

"Three delinquents who have been causing havoc for a while now," Avian replied. "We can't do anything because they've 'found favour with the Council'."

"I don't like the look of this..." Burstinatrix muttered, right on the edge of the balcony and very alert.

Avian was about to reply when Clayman started talking to the three lizard-men.

"May I ask why you did that?" he asked calmly, putting down the remains of the rock. "We were going to use it."

The lizard-men laughed again, but the brunette lowered his weapon.

"We were jus' havin' some fun, mate," he drawled with a smirk.

"Nah we weren't! Yous was jus' showin' off for the lady!" the redhead on the left hooted.

Renegade shifted but otherwise didn't move, probably because Clayman gave her a warning look.

"Could I ask you gentlemen to leave please?" Clayman's voice was still polite.

However, the lizard-men were too busy having fun to heed him in the slightest.

"Com'on, mate, let us check out the lady!" the brunette crooned, winking at Renegade.

"Oooh, the boss has 'is eye on someone!" the blond on the right howled.

"Com'on boss! Let's get her ova to our house, eh?"

"Yea she'll make a nice time for us tonigh'!"

Clayman stiffened and his face was alarmed as he shot a look at Renegade and found her face full of anger. The lizard-men had ticked her off, and this small fact made the strong Elemental Hero scared.

"So you want me to be your... toy?" Renegade asked quietly, a trace of venom behind the calmness.

"Woa, boss, she's commin' on to you!" The two on the sides were almost spitting with glee.

A flash of white from below told them the sun had glanced off Renegade's teeth as she bared them for a moment. Clayman looked like he would be sweating buckets if he were able. The lizard-men, however, seemed to not notice any of the danger; they ploughed on into it.

"Come on, sugar, gimmi a kiss," the leader smirked, puckering up his lips.

Clayman groaned, Burstinatrix stiffened, Avian snapped his teeth together and Renegade grinned. A slow grin that spread across her face as he unfolded her arms.

"Renegade, no!" Clayman yelled, but even as he thought of capturing her wings unfolded.

"Come now, Clayman, he's our guest. It would be wrong to deny his wish," she purred. "And he wants a kiss."

Clayman lunged at her but it was too late; she was already in front of the leader. His two followers started laughing again as she pressed her lips to his, and their eyes shut as they rolled around in mirth. Because of this they did not see their leader's face change from a gloating calm to puzzled quite suddenly. They didn't see his eyes fly open in shock and horror. They did not see him try and push Renegade away, efforts that were in vain as she just pushed him against a tree and held his body to hers. They also didn't see him struggle for a few seconds longer and then give up and let his eyes roll closed. They did, however, see him fall to the ground as Renegade broke the kiss.

"Woa! Check it, mate! She actually made the boss pass out!" the redhead oggled at Renegade's retreating back.

"Com'on, boss, time to wake up," the blond said, grinning and kneeling to tap his leader awake.

His expression changed dramatically in the space of ten seconds.

"Val…" he choked, his face stricken.

"What is it?' his friend replied in a bored voice.

"Val, he ain't passed out..." His voice rose to hysteria. "Val! He's dead!"

The redhead's cry was drowned by another sound: laughter. Renegade, still slowly walking back, had started to laugh, and the sound echoed up to the watchers as the lizard-men grabbed their leader and fled. Her eyes suddenly and without warning flickered up to the balcony. Her laughter stopped, but there was still as slight smirk on her face. One that seemed to say it was just too easy to take a life. As soon as her eyes locked on the human gang everyone reached out, grabbed Jaden's still shoulders and dragged him back inside in one fluid movement.

-x-x-x-

"I wouldn't touch that is I were you."

Chazz's hand froze in mid air and he turned to look at Bubbleman in surprise.

He was the only one standing; the rest were all lazing or sitting on the sleeper couches around the main room. And this time even Clayman was there, even though they were all confident Renegade wouldn't be stupid and uncivil enough to try and attack with more then one of her comrades around. Even so, they weren't taking any chances and would wait until she was cooled off and out of sight before moving the humans so she wouldn't see where they went.

Everyone had now turned to look at either Chazz or Bubbleman, all of them curious. Chazz, however, did not lower his hand.

"I'm not kidding," Bubbleman said sternly. "That's one thing you really don't want to mess with."

The Obelisk Blue lowered his hand, but studied the mobile he had been about to spin in puzzlement. It was made from some form of hard, white material and it consisted of a main white orb from which little winged bears hung. Each bear had a different position and the only thing that looked even slightly sinister about the whole thing was the dusty black feathers tied to it.

"Why not?" he finally asked, at a loss.

"That belongs to one of the lodgers here," Sparkman explained. "And it's more then you life's worth to break that. If you even touch it you're in big... trouble." He changed the last word as he noticed Bubbleman's glare.

"Why the heck is someone _that _protective over a stupid mobile?" Chazz scoffed, moving away to sit with the others all the same.

"It's all part of the song," Burstinatrix said quietly.

Now all the humans were alert and very curious. Bubbleman took pity and explained it fully.

"That mobile was created by using inspiration from a lullaby. The lullaby in question is the mobile owner's 'theme song'. The creator of both wrote the song just to add a bit more character and life to the Monster but... it ended up coming true. That's the sad part, because it never was supposed to."

"Input from the great Lady Takoona: we are to assure you that, just in case you hear the song, the death spoken of is figurative and not literal," Sparkman said in a scathing voice obviously not impressed that he had to keep repeating the message, Then he smirked and added under his breath, "Well, not yet anyway."

Bubbleman cuffed him over the head.

"Is there a chance we'll hear it?" Atticus asked.

"Yes," Bubbleman replied. "It's sung almost every day by the Monster it belongs to. It's a beautiful song, even if it is sad. We will hear it tonight, won't we?" he asked, and the last sentence was hopeful and directed at someone by the door.

They all turned to look and a few hearts stopped beating. Renegade's arms were folded as she regarded Bubbleman, then she silently walked forward to the mobile. One hand came loose and with a gentle finger she sent the mobile spinning. For a moment there was just silence, and then Renegade took a breath.

_"Dancing bears, painted wings _

_Things I almost remember-" _

The humans sat, frozen. The same voice from reaper's CD was coming from the heroine's mouth and it was just as hauntingly beautiful as on the night they had first heard the song.

_"And a song, someone sings _

_Once upon a December..." _

Syrus felt Jaden Shudder beside him and he turned to find his friend's eyes squeezed shut. But he was not shaking and he made no move to escape Renegade's song. Even if he had tried to leave, there was no stopping Renegade's voice this time as she went on to the second verse the gang had only heard the first two lines of before.

_"Calling softly in your arms _

_You're holding me away from harm _

_And all the troubles turn to calm _

_Once upon a December _

_Safely in your arms that night _

_As the darkness turns to light _

_No tears, no pain, no single plight _

_Once upon a December _

_The waltzing, haunting melody _

_That you gently sang to me _

_And all alone I'd never be _

_Once upon a December-" _

Up until then Renegade had been singing softly and watching her turning mobile but when she reached the last two lines of the fourth verse her hand curled into a fist and her voice hardened. A bitter look flashed across her face that Alexis understood; the promise made in that verse in the song had been broken. Renegade continued to sing with the same bitter edge.

_"The dawn was breaking on our day _

_We'd live this life by our own way _

_Bonded one we'd always stay _

_Once upon a December _

_We danced on clouds, in rainbow sky _

_Watching how the angels fly _

_Together one, just you and I _

_Once upon a December _

_But the light is fading all away _

_December changing into May _

_The night is gone, it will not stay _

_Once upon a December-" _

Renegade's voice reached a heartbreaking tone and the song seemed to vibrate through their bodies.

_"And that last moment hears your cry _

_The failing, haunting lullaby _

_And on that night fate made you die _

_Once upon a December." _

The second last line was when renegade's eyes moved off the spinning mobile. They were burning with intensity making them more haunting then ever before. They locked securely on one thing as she finished her song and everyone swivelled around to see what it was. A collective intake of breath sounded as they was it was straight into Jaden's eyes she was looking, and that he was staring right back. Somehow Jaden had gotten to his feet without them noticing, and he now stood directly in the line of the Queen.

"Renegade, downstairs," Avian commanded, not even bothering to make up a reason.

Renegade didn't move and neither did Jaden. Neither seemed to be breathing and a moment of tense silence followed as brown eyes bored into brown. Renegade was the one to break it.

"You left me."

It didn't sound like an accusation, more like a statement. Her voice was quiet and almost emotionless, but Jaden still flinched at the sound of it. He then swallowed and looked down.

"I know," he whispered in a broken voice.

"Why?"

Jaden looked up again to find her eyes still on him and still burning. It looked like she half didn't want to know the answer.

"I... I couldn't, Renegade... After S... she left... I just couldn't look at you anymore. And then Mom had that sale... I never meant for you to be sold."

For another moment Renegade looked at him, then she silently turned around and headed towards the door, finally obeying Avian's orders.

"Renegade..." Jaden called after her softly.

She stopped.

"In the Shadow Duel, with Reaper and your blades... Why...?"

"'There will be a time in life, my friend, when death's kiss is the better end'."

She said nothing else and left, leaving confused humans and Monsters behind her.

"What the heck did _that _mean?" Sparkman gaped.

"I don't understand..." Bubbleman blinked.

"Did anybody?" Chazz scoffed.

Everyone shook their heads or shrugged. Everyone except Jaden.

"I understand," he mumbled. "I just don't know why she'd..."

He trailed off and everyone looked at him in surprise. His expression was so odd and unreadable it made them shoot each other looks of confusion and puzzlement.

-x-x-x-

The light was starting to fade in the Beast Realm, and everyone was outside in the coolness. There had been no sign of Renegade since the previous day when she had sang, and so the Elemental Heroes felt relatively safe. The main reason they were outside was that Jaden, now healed to the point where he could stand unaided for up to twenty minutes, had grown restless inside. However he was content to laze about outside, a fact he demonstrated by lying down in the grass as soon as they went out, The others sat a little way off, watching Sparkman and Bubbleman play chess. The game was made highly amusing by Sparkman's antics and Bubbleman's gullibility. It looked almost certain that Sparkman would win the next round or at least cheat again when a hissing sound reached them, growing louder by the second. The Elemental Heroes rose at once, alert and ready.

"What is it?" Syrus gulped, thinking of the Plague Wolves.

"It's the half-breeds from before," Clayman growled. "They have no leader now and so they've turned wild."

There was a whipping noise as the two lizard-men stampeded into view. They had dirt and grime all over them and in their eyes was an insane light. The redhead's stomach growled and he suddenly sniffed the air, his companion doing the same. Their eyes swept over the humans and fell on Jaden, who was still meter or so away from the rest and before the Heroes could do more then let out gasps and cries they advanced on him, their noise making his eyes open and widen. Avian and Burstinatrix started forward at the same time the blond grabbed Jaden by his shirt collar. Sparkman and Bubbleman circled around, looking for an opening to attack and still keep Jaden safe but one cold voice cut across all their actions.

"Let. Him. Go."

All eyes swivelled to the sound and then froze in place. Renegade had come back and she didn't look happy. There was a blazing in her eyes that they could not place and both her daggers were unsheathed and pointed at the lizard-men. There was a beat when no on moved an inch.

"Renegade..." Avian was anxious.

"Let him go," Renegade repeated to the Monsters, ignoring the winged hero.

The lizard-men, recognising her, both snarled harder, their stances turning to that of attack. But the blond did not release Jaden and neither moved; the hunger instinct was part of their animal side that ruled their minds now; the need for revenge came second. The rest stood in shock and mounting horror. They could not attack for fear of hitting Jaden, but Renegade probably wouldn't mind hurting or killing her former master in the process of getting rid of the lizard-men. Things had gone from bad to much worse.

"I'm giving you till the count of five," Renegade continued calmly, venom bubbling beneath her poker face.

Only a louder issue of hissing and a gasp of shock from Syrus answered.

"One," she said, her muscles tensing. "Two." She took a step forward. "Three." The daggers in her hands moved a small amount as she tightened her hold. "Four." Now her voice was not calm; the hidden venom leaked out in every syllable of the word. "Five."

"Renegade NO!" Avian bellowed.

Renegade had already leapt. They all watched in horror, waiting for her to attack the Monsters in one of their weak points and finish them, and possibly Jaden, off. But their expectations came to nothing; Renegade instead went for their scaled hides. For a moment, as he saw it happening, Avian could only gape in surprise. Then understanding flashed; Renegade was goading them to attack her and let Jaden go.

The two Monsters did what Renegade had been hoping for and as soon as Jaden was free the Elemental Heroes swarmed over him, now able to protect him. Sparkman started to fire up a shot but Burstinatrix stopped him.

"You might hit _her_, you numbskull," she sighed. "Besides, you don't want to interfere with Renegade's fights."

In the half a minute it had taken for the exchange of words and the Elemental Heroes' position change Renegade had been able to fight the lizard-men in earnest. And now that their prey was gone the two Monsters lay into her with all they had. The redhead hissed and struck and for a second it looked like Renegade had been caught between his teeth. Then his tail lashed wildly three times and he fell. Renegade pulled her dagger out of him as he toppled over and then, without missing a beat, she turned to the blond. He tried the same move as his companion had and this time Renegade just dodged. His tail lashed out towards her so fast it looked like a blur but her wings opened and she took to the sky, high enough only to flip over his head and catch him unguarded from behind. She snatched the back of his neck and yanked his head back so she could speak into his ear.

"When I say 'let go' I mean it," she hissed, sounding almost as animal as her adversary.

The humans saw the flash of silver and all shut their eyes, not wanting to see how this one died. A dull thud told the he had joined his comrade on the ground. Alexis opened her eyes to find Renegade standing in the middle of the two fallen Monsters, breathing slightly heavier then before and splattered with an odd-coloured blood. Her eyes rose to meet Avian's but then her head jerked to her left and her body stiffened.

"In all my life I've never..." a familiar voice shrieked. "Guards! Lock her up!"

Lady Takoona was back, this time with a handful of Monsters looking like a human S.W.A.T team. They obeyed her orders, but approached a still stationary Renegade with caution; they had seen how easily she could kill.

"I come here to enquire if you know anything about the murder of the leader of this trio and instead of getting a lead to someone I can arrest I see _her _murdering the remaining two!" Takoona shrieked.

"Ta... _Lady_ Takoona," Avian said in his most reasonable voice. "Is this all rally necessary? She was only doing her job protecting-"

"It is not in your job descriptions to murder!" she spat back at him, positively spitting in rage.

Avian stopped at once. He had been slowly moving forwards with his hands up in surrender as he spoke but as he saw how angry she was he halted.

"The judges will decide her fate," Takoona hissed. "For all of our sakes I hope they decide the punishment should be the same as the crime!"

There was a noise of shock, but nobody turned to see who it had come from.

"Lady Takoona," Avian tried again.

"Avian, it's alright," Renegade cut across him.

Everyone turned to her in surprise. She was still standing calmly in the exactly same position, except now with sheathed daggers. She was unarmed and wiling to go. Bubbleman started making choking noises in his shock; this was more unlike Renegade then snow in the Sahara. Sparkman absently hit him on the back.

"Get her!" Takoona shrieked again, making everyone jump and the guards shoot forward.

Seeing Renegade being chained up made everyone feel strangely upset; it looked very, very wrong. But the heroine didn't protest as the guards snapped the chains around her.

"Add a Truth Ring too," Takoona snapped.

Obediently a guard added a thin, transparent ring to Renegade's waist. She eyed it for a moment then smirked.

"Nice dress; it looks lovely on you," she said sweetly to Takoona.

Takoona's nostrils flared as the ring around the heroine's waist lit up. Burstinatrix let out a snort of laughter and Avian gave her an incredulous look as she bit her lip to stop from laughing.

"Just checking the ring works," Renegade said, still sickly sweet.

The ring, which had stopped glowing after a moment, half-glowed again; Renegade had been half lying.

"Take her to the judges," Takoona spat, glaring at Renegade.

As the guards spun her around and started to lead her away another surprising thing happened.

"Renegade, wait!"

Jaden stepped out of his protecting ring of Heroes as she turned back to look straight at him.

"I need to know the truth," Jaden said, staring straight back at her. "If my reasons for leaving you had been selfish, if I really did just abandon you like an unwanted toy... Would you still have put it all on the line to save me today?"

A heartbeat passed between boy and Monster before Renegade answered quietly.

"Of course, Jaden."

The ring didn't glow at all.

-x-x-x-

The humans were all pleasantly surprised to find that there were stars in the Beast Realm. They looked as surreal as the flowers, but they still cast a good deal of light, which was good as there was no moon. Bubbleman was very enthusiastic to point out the different formations to the humans and he was so caught up in his excitement he didn't notice Sparkman muttering his own names for the constellations, most which were very rude yet very funny. Even Clayman chortled at a few of them, the sound rough yet oddly pleasant. Avian was preoccupied with a report he had received and he sat and read through it with them on the balcony.

They had been sitting there watching the stars for a good hour when Avian suddenly looked up without warning and straightened in his seat. The door opened and they all eyed the returning Burstinatrix, all waiting for an answer.

"She got off," Burstinatrix told them. "The judges didn't charge her because she was doing her job and protecting a human. But one more serious offence and she's had it. I was told to keep her in line."

"What do they want us to do, drug her?" Avian muttered, but he sounded relieved; as much as Renegade rebelled and caused disaster for them, the Heroes still all cared for her. "Have you had time to ask her what's going on?"

Burstinatrix shook her head.

"Where is-?" Bubbleman started but broke off as Renegade entered.

She was rubbing her wrists with a slight scowl and they could see the red marks the handcuffs had left on her after her night in the holding cell. She still looked as calm as she had the previous day when she had been lead away, though, which made everyone less tense. Alexis shot a glance at Jaden to see how he was doing and so she was the first one to see that he had stood up and started walking forward. Her gasp alerted the others.

"Jaden! What-?" Bastion gaped, but Jaden didn't stop.

By the time any of the Heroes had recovered enough from their shock to think of stopping him he was dangerously close to Renegade.

"Alright, Reni," he said, stopping and folding his arms. "cards on the table."

The surprise and flicker of other emotions in Renegade's eyes disappeared and they turned expressionless as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"_I _don't have any cards; that's your forte," she said.

"You know what I mean," Jaden replied, refusing to back down.

Renegade eyed him and then leant back against the wall.

"What do you want to know?"

"What's going on?" Jaden's voice had become quieter now and he uncrossed his arms. "I thought you... But it doesn't seem that way anymore... The way you've been acting isn't how I thought you would..."

"You think you've been fed incorrect information?" Renegade continued to stare at him.

For a moment Jaden blanched. His face became unsure and a level of fear entered him as he considered that his speculations were wrong and that Renegade wanted to do only as Reaper had told him. But then his resolve hardened.

"Things just don't fit together," he said firmly. "So I want some things explained." When she just looked at him, still expressionless, he continued. "The dagger thing with Reaper? Why did you disobey? And why were you fully there in the first place?"

The Elemental Heroes were so tense they could have passed off as statues. They didn't want to get Jaden and set Renegade off but he was so close...

"Why was I there? Well, jeeze, I'd spent long enough looking for you, I couldn't wait around in case you _maybe _lost and _maybe _got chucked into the Beast Realm... I'm not too patient." A wry smile crossed her face.

"That isn't the only reason, is it?" He didn't press when she didn't answer; he hadn't forgotten her personality. "The dagger thing?" he asked instead, ignoring the anxious eyes on his back.

Renegade hesitated, her empty eyes flashing with an emotion for a split-second before she answered quietly.

"The quote from the other day..."

"Yea, I got that," Jaden said just as quietly. "You meant that the daggers would hurt me more then the kiss. And they would have. So then why, if Reaper is right about your intentions, didn't you use them? Why did you save me yesterday? Why do you care why I left?"

Bastion had a sudden flashback of Renegade kissing Jaden and how gently she had been. He hadn't been hallucinating; Renegade had made that kiss as gentle as she could.

"Why?"

Jaden was staring so intently at Renegade he'd seemed to have forgotten where he was. His face told them he had an answer that he thought Renegade would give, that he _hoped _she would give.

"Jay..." Renegade was hesitating; unsure of herself for maybe the first time in her life.

Her voice saying his nickname made him start slightly, but he stayed in his position. Renegade sighed, looked him in the eyes and gave him a direct, and truthful, answer.

"I went to Reaper so I could find you. I wanted to find you, so badly, and bring you back to me. I never, ever wanted to hurt you at all."

At least half the spectators' mouths fell open in shock. They had not expected that. Jaden, on the other hand, had, and his face split into a smile.

"What?!" Chazz choked out, but both boy and card ignored him.

"I kinda guessed after a while when, even when you had so many chances, you didn't attack me. And then there was how you 'felt' I was here... And saving my life." He suddenly laughed. "But Reni, _why _didn't you _say something? _Or ask or...?"

She smiled softly at him.

"I wasn't sure why you'd left me. I didn't know if you still wanted me around... I thought I saw in the duel with Reaper that you didn't..."

"But... You were angry..." Atticus said, scratching his head as he remembered the storm and Reaper's words from the first duel.

Renegade looked slightly sheepish.

"It was all taking so bloody long, so I was already irritated. Then you really didn't remember me..." The last was murmured to Jaden, who flinched at the memory of what he'd said.

"But the lightning and the tree..." Alexis could still not bring herself to understand that Renegade was not their enemy.

Now the heroine's face lost its expressionless form and an angry look crossed her features.

"That storm was Reaper's idea; he does something dramatic like that in every duel he takes part in. But I didn't know he planned to use that idiot to make lightning appear as well," she snarled.

"Erm... Idiot?" Chazz asked, curious to who could make lightning.

"Zaborg the Thunder Monarch." Renegade said his name like a plague. "He was such a power hungry fool," she added under her breath.

"Don't you mean he _is _a power hungry fool?" Bastion's shock made him correct her grammar.

"No, I mean was," Renegade said.

Jaden gasped in realization.

"He's the reason you got put in the Center?" he asked with wide eyes.

Renegade shrugged.

"He could've killed you; he's lucky I took mercy on him and killed him."

Avian made a noise at the back of his throat to say he disagreed with that statement, but he said nothing. The Elemental Heroes were still in as much shocked surprise as the humans were. Jaden, however, laughed at her statement.

"You haven't changed a bit, Reni," he said, amused.

"You have," she answered. "Look how long your hair is!"

She reached out and tussled his hair playfully, making him grin. Then his expression froze as her hand gently slid down to stroke his cheek. He closed his eyes and leant into her hand for a moment before opening them again to gaze at her with remorse written all over his face.

"Reni, I'm so, so sorry-"

She placed a finger on his lips, silencing him, and for a moment everyone stood still. Clayman cleared his throat, making everyone jump.

"Renegade, there's a potentially hazardous gate open and it's your turn to patrol."

Renegade sighed and let her hand drop.

"Where is it?" she asked, now bored.

"Up the North end of the hill," Clayman replied and Renegade brightened a bit.

"Ooooh goody that's the place with all the fruit tress. And very gullible residents." A devilish smirk crossed her face.

"You're on duty, not vacation," Avian said sharply. "Remember: nothing comes in-"

"And nothing goes out," Renegade overrode him with a sigh and rolled eyes. "And I help all those in need. I get it; I've done this before."

Sparkman muttered something about all those times being disasters and she stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"The gate's been open for ten minutes," Burstinatrix said pointedly and Renegade sighed and straightened up.

She had taken two steps towards the door when she stopped and turned around to give Jaden a searching look. The expression on his face, which was turned away from everyone else, must have pleased her because she grinned.

"Coming?" she asked, extending a hand to him.

"Of course," he replied, and they could hear in his voice that he was grinning too.

He took her hand and she almost towed him out.

"How could we have been so _stupid_?!" Burstinatrix moaned as soon as they were out of escort.

She looked horrified with herself, and only Avian seemed to understand what she was so upset about.

"Renegade was _created _in love for him!" the heroine continued to moan. "Her love for him became the core of her _existence_! And yet I still sat here believing that _snake _Reaper who said she wanted to _hurt _him!"

"Trix, we all forgot," Avian soothed her. "We all know how Renegade is, and the knowledge of what she's like and capable of doing made us forget her origin."

"Wait..." Syrus was now even more confused. "What do you mean her origin? That she was... 'created in love for him'?"

"Rare or one-of-a-kind cards are made for a single purpose. That purpose, which is sadly mostly just hunger for power, along with the creator's intentions and imagination is what gives the Monsters their personality and values," Avian explained. "You know by now that when Sarah created Renegade she already knew Reni would be this... hardcore rebel. And Sarah put a lot of work into Renegade's personality, as you must have heard from Jaden. But she also gave Reni something without intending to: love for Jaden. Sarah created Renegade so she could be tied to her brother, because she loved him right to her core. Renegade took all of that love on when she was created. It's more part of her then her love for battle."

"Renegade _loves _Jaden?" Syrus blinked, trying that idea out in his head.

"Well forgive me for not believing that," Alexis said in a clipped voice.

"Why not, Lex? It all makes sense now," Bastion said.

"Why not? Oh gee, I don't know. Maybe it's the laughter after committing two murders?" she replied, her voice thick with sarcasm.

"That's just how Renegade is," Atticus said with a shrug. "Her personality is just a tad masochistic, she thrives in adrenalin and despises being captive under rules. But even you have to admit, Lex, you can see deep, deep down she really is good. And she _does _love him."

"Hence the name Elemental _Hero_," Chazz added.

"So you mean Renegade isn't going to turn... nicer?" Syrus asked hopefully.

"Sorry, Sy," Burstinatrix said with a little laugh. "She's going to stay the same she always has been."

"Which isn't as bad as you think," Sparkman put in.

Bubbleman snorted.

"You only say that because she's the only one who doesn't protest to your vulgar ways," he sniffed.

Sparkman shrugged in a 'Yea so what?' way.

"Well I don't think anyone expected this..." Bastion shook his head.

"Nobody except Jaden," Syrus corrected him.

"Yea! He wasn't surprised at all! He saw all the signs and understood... But that means..."

"He knew," Alexis whispered. "He knew all along she loved him. Beneath all the doubt and fear and knowledge about what she could do, he knew she cared."

"The nightmares," Zane said suddenly with a sigh. "He never feared _her_, he feared what he had done. Facing her after he had abandoned her was the thing that scared him, not Renegade herself."

"That explains his reaction to the song and the kiss," Bastion sighed.

"This is all so bizarre," Clayman grunted. "I'm too scared to trust it..."

"Hmmm... You have a point," Burstinatrix laughed. "Let's go make sure she's not chopping him into bite-sized snacks, shall we?"

-x-x-x-

A slight breeze ruffled the grass, making it tickle them as they lay and sat on it, as well as their hair and feathers, in the case of Renegade and Avian.

"Jay you look like an Indian chief," Syrus laughed.

Jaden grinned up at the feathers stuck in his hair that formed a black crown. Renegade grinned too and smeared some mud under Jaden's eyes.

"Oh, great chief, grace us with your wisdom!" she said in a serious voice, plucking one more of her feathers out and placing it in his hair.

Chazz snorted loudly.

"Wisdom? He only learnt how to tie his shoelaces last week."

Everyone laughed, even Renegade. Against the warning of a small part of their minds everyone had started to warm towards Renegade in the hour or so they had spent with her in front of the gate. Even Alexis had been forced to admit that Renegade really did care for Jaden, something that made the heroine much less threatening then she had been.

"You're supposed to be keeping an eye on the gate," Avian said disapprovingly as Renegade closed her eyes and flopped down onto her back.

"We've been here all through its prime and nothing's happened," she said lazily. "Besides, you're here."

Chuckles sounded and Avian shook his head, not able to fully hide his amusement.

"Will you ever do your work properly?" he asked, not at all angry.

Renegade started to reply but she suddenly broke off and grew tense.

"Reni?" Jaden asked her in alarm.

Renegade flicked herself into a standing position so fast everyone jumped. She made a motion to keep quiet, her eyes on the gateway. Something inside the lights moved and she scowled, stepping in front of a still seated Jaden. She shot a quick, warning glance at the rest and then returned her gaze to the gate.

"Come for a nice, friendly visit I see," she called into it.

"Hello, my dear Renegade," a voice called back pleasantly.

A voice they all knew too well.

"Hello Reaper," she replied calmly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Is Yu-Gi-Oh! GX or Disney's Anastasia mine? No.

A semi explosion seemed to take place. As soon as Renegade's lips had uttered his name every Elemental Hero was on his or her feet and ready to fight.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Burstinatrix snarled, smoke furling from her palms.

"You are not welcome here," Avian said in a cold voice of authority.

"My business is with Renegade, not with you," Reaper drawled with his trademark grin.

Sparkman called him a very rude name and this time Bubbleman didn't reprimand him. Renegade, however, straightened up, folded her wings and began to walk towards him. Jaden grabbed her hand in silent alarm, but she smiled at him briefly and pulled away.

"What do you want, Reaper?" she asked him when she was less then a meter away from him.

"So hostile," Reaper tutted, still grinning.

Renegade sighed and crossed her arms.

"I don't have all day."

"Fine, fine." Reaper seemed to realize rubbing her the wrong was wouldn't help matters. "I want my captive back, Renegade. Your time with him is up."

"You're hopeful," Renegade snorted.

"Well obviously your friends are being a bit of trouble but I know you. _You _can get around them."

He turned to grin at the Elemental Heroes and his eyes fell on Jaden, who was still sitting on the grass. It was obvious he was unharmed.

"What the hell?!" he gasped, his grin disappearing altogether. He's fine?! He was sitting right there where you were and… You didn't attack him?!"

"No, Reaper. I told you, right in the beginning, that my reasons were different from all the others'. No harm will come to Jaden while I am around. Especially not by your hand." The venom seeped back into her voice.

"You do not get to betray me, Renegade," Reaper hissed at her, taking a step forward. His voice swam with dangerous anger and the look on his usually confident face made Syrus very scared.

"I didn't betray you," Renegade snarled back, her tone matching his in its level of danger. "Our agreement was that I work for you, help you win, and you bring me to Jaden."

"You were supposed to destroy him and then give him back to me!" Reaper spat, his rage keeping him in front of Renegade, even in her anger.

"Not going to happen," she hissed. "Now get out."

Reaper stood his ground and opened his mouth to reply. But Renegade had had enough. With vicious intent she bent down and unsheathed her daggers. Reaper took a look at the gleaming blades that were an easy striking distance from him and reconsidered. He started to back off, a murderous look on his face.

"You will pay for even _thinking _of betraying me," he snarled at her. "This is far from over, for both of you."

Renegade suddenly swept forward and Avian stiffened. They could still not, by law, harm, Reaper. However, the heroine just took something out of Reaper's pocket and stepped back again.

"Now that I have what's rightfully mine, get out," she said in a low voice.

Reaper snarled again but heeded her by backing off into the Gateway. Everyone remained frozen for a few minutes but when the Shadow Rider did not return they relaxed. No one said anything about the incident, but all of them wondered what she had taken and why she had hidden it so they could not see.

-x-x-x-

After the first night it had become apparent that the sleeper couches were very comfortable indeed. Even Chazz could not complain about their temporary beds, which was a small miracle on its own. They had had little trouble falling asleep on any of the previous nights they had spent in the Realm, even when Renegade's alliance had been unknown. The night after Reaper had appeared, however, was a little different. All of them knew what he was capable of, and his threat had rattled them.

"Don't worry about it," Bubbleman soothed as he saw they were still uptight even as they lay there.

"Yeah. We won't let that asshole get to you," Sparkman said, picking up a huge cleaver from a cupboard full of weapons.

"Put the cleaver down," Burstinatrix sighed at him.

"But-" he began to argue, clearly liking the feel of the weapon.

"Put it away," Burstinatrix said in a slight growl, and he obeyed without a word.

Alexis giggled at the display and the heroine winked at her.

"Woman power," she chortled. "But really," she added, now serious. "There's nothing for you to worry about. We won't let any harm come to any of you."

"Maybe they need to be sung to sleep," Renegade grinned.

Jaden's face lit up and nobody else objected; Renegade's song captivated them all. And so Renegade sang her lullaby again, this time without any malice. She sat next to Jaden as she started to sing and by the time she was done, and all the humans were asleep, she was lying next to him, playing with his hair and looking like a masked guardian angel.

"Renegade…" Burstinatrix was watching her with a pained expression on her face. When she spoke her voice was gentle and slightly hesitating. "Reni… He's healed… He's going back tomorrow…"

Renegade dropped her eyes.

"I know," she whispered in a tone they had never heard her use before.

All through the night Renegade stayed near to Jaden, finally falling asleep on the back of his couch. Jaden was surprised, but very pleased, when he woke to find her sleeping peacefully so close to him her breath could be felt on his face. He watched her for a while noting the drawn look on her face with understanding; their was a hollow feeling in his own chest. But he didn't have long to dwell on it as a short while after he woke up the others did too, and their stirring caused Renegades eyes to open. She smiled at Jaden and the gracefully rolled off the back of the couch.

"Morning all," Bubbleman said, joyously bouncing through the door.

Everyone greeted him, his happy mood making their own moods lighten.

"You have all been sent a huge breakfast from Lady Takoona and the Council. It's waiting for you downstairs," he grinned.

Smiling and looking forward to the breakfast immensely the humans started to follow him down. Jaden was by the door when he realized Renegade was not with him. He stopped and looked back to find her standing in the same place she had been.

"Reni?" he asked her, searching her eyes for the reason she was not with him.

"Do you really think Takoona would have sent _me_ fancy food?" she chortled.

"Oh, right," Jaden said, not wholly convinced; there was a strange look in her eyes.

He hesitated for a few more minutes before turning his back on her and following the others down.

-x-x-x-

The food was divine and, to everyone's delight, there was a lot of it. Everybody managed to forget their gloom and enjoy it, the humans more then the Elemental Heroes. When they were eventually full they all made their way, joking and grinning, back up to the Control Room. Renegade was seated on the sleeper-couch Jaden had slept on. Her face was hidden by her hair as she looked down at whatever it was she was turning over in her hands. As soon as they came in, she spoke.

"There's a gateway open just outside the Center." Her voice was expressionless.

"And it leads to the Duel Academy?" Avian asked softly.

"Yes," she replied in the same expressionless voice.

There was silence as everyone grasped what would surely happen next.

"Come on kids," Burstinatrix said heavily. "It's time for you to go."

All of them were very reluctant to go; they had grown fond of the Beast Realm and its inhabitants. But they knew they could not argue and so, defeated, they slowly followed Avian back down the stairs. As soon as they started moving Renegade stood up and followed as close to Jaden as possible. She said nothing and her eyes were as expressionless as her voice had been. Whatever she had been fiddling with was now clutched in one hand, hidden from sight. Jaden's face grew worried as he took in her expression and, in desperation, he grabbed the wrist to her open hand. She smiled slightly at him, but he couldn't bring himself to let go of her until they arrived at the gateway. Everyone stood in silence and stared at the shimmering lights.

"We all knew this was coming," Bubbleman said gently.

"Yes but None of us expected a gateway to the Academy to appear so soon," Bastion said glumly.

"Almost seventy-five percent of the gateways lead to the Duel Academy. It has something to do with all the Monsters present there," Avian explained.

"Well that sucks," Atticus said, crossing his arms.

"That it might, but it doesn't change the fact that you have to go home," Avian said.

With heavy hearts the humans said goodbye to the Elemental Heroes one by one. Jaden got quieter as he progressed down the line of his Monsters and he was utterly still by the time Burstinatrix grabbed him in a hug. Then he turned to Renegade who had been standing right behind everyone. He started to walk towards her but after a few steps he stopped and just looked at her. The silence stretched on until, with warning, both of them stepped forward and wrapped their arms around each other. They clung to each other and Renegade folded her wings over Jaden so all the rest could see was a wall of black feathers. They finally let go and started staring again.

"I'll find a way to come back," Jaden whispered, sounding like he wished with all his heart it could be true.

"Seeing as you'll only probably be thrown back here if you're enslaved by Reaper, I don't really like that promise too much," Renegade joked half-heartedly.

"I'll be careful," he promised her, hearing the hidden worry in her voice.

Renegade smiled for a moment but stopped when she looked down at her closed hand.

"Jaden…" she started, but then hesitated. "If… if you want it, it's yours."

She held out her closed fist and slowly uncurled her fingers. On her palm lay her Duel Monsters card, mostly unscathed. Jaden gaped and quickly picked the card up.

"Of course I want it, Reni," he said quietly.

Renegade's eyes finally, _finally, _lot their expressionless tint; they turned warm as she smiled.

"Then I will be with you always," she said softly.

"Time to go," Avian repeated himself.

Jaden walked backwards to the rest of the gang and all together, calling one last goodbye, they all stepped into the lights.

-x-x-x-

After a while the whirling lights faded into colours that made sense. Chazz got one glimpse of a sky so clear it made his eyes hurt before he fell into a mass of cold water; gravity had acted. He rose to the surface, spluttering and cursing to himself that his clothes had gotten wet. All the rest surfaced close to him and began to swim to the shore.

"Could the weather be any more different then it was when we left?" Bastion asked as he stretched out on the grass.

"Don't jinx it," Atticus yawned, copying him.

"Wow. I'd sort of forgotten what real flowers look like," Syrus laughed, picking one and inspecting it.

"Even so, I'm going to miss that place," Jaden sighed.

"So am I," Alexis agreed. "It was fascinating."

"And slightly weird," Syrus added.

Everyone chuckled and moved into more comfortable positions on the grass. It was a while before anyone spoke again.

"I think we'd better go tell everyone we're back," Zane pointed out.

"I suppose you're right," Alexis sighed, getting up and pulling her brother to his feet.

They were greeted by a very hysterical nurse and it took Jaden half an hour to calm her down and convince her he was fully healed. She was baffled, but accepted their story of staying in the woods for a few days to use natural remedies on Jaden. Since he was obviously healed and everybody else was fine she didn't press the matter, for which they were all grateful. Bastion suggested pitching a tent outside for the night so they could watch the stars again and even Chazz agreed it was a good idea. They were making their way outside with all the needed things when they encountered the nurse again. This time she was much calmer and greeted them warmly, like always.

"Oh, Jaden, before I forget to tell you again, all the things that were yours were sent to your room. Everything that wasn't was thrown out," she said before bustling off again.

"Thanks!" Jaden called after her, three heartbeats before he gasped and his eyes widened. "No!" he yelped. "Oh no!"

He sprang forward without warning and charged down the passage as though his life was in danger.

"Jaden?" Syrus called after him, alarmed.

"I'll meet you outside!" the Slyfer yelled over his shoulder, not slowing down.

"What was that all about?" Bastion asked, his eyebrows raised.

"He probably forgot to eat the rest of a chocolate or something," Chazz sniffed.

Still speculating they made their way down to the edge of the forest. There were still no clouds in the sky and the stars and moon shone brightly. There was the smallest of breezes but otherwise everything was still and tranquil.

"It's a good thing Crowler isn't here or we'd never be able to do this," Bastion said, gazing up at the sky.

"Do you think he would have noticed we disappeared?" Atticus asked, a grin on his face.

"I dunno…" Syrus said doubtfully.

"Yes," Zane said expectantly. When everyone looked at him he explained. "He would have missed Jaden; he'd have no one to pick on."

"That's true," Atticus laughed.

"He'd miss Zane too," Chazz smirked. "His star pupil missing? He'd have a heart attack."

"He's know that you were gone too, Chazz; there'd be no one whining at him."

Everybody except Chazz laughed. It wasn't long after peace had resumed that they saw Jaden coming towards them. As the got closer the firelight revealed he was grinning happily.

"I managed to get it!" he announced before anybody could say anything.

"Got what, Jay? Why'd you run off like that?" Syrus asked, sitting up.

Jaden held out his right hand. Only then did they realize he was carrying something.

"A CD player?" Alexis asked in confusion.

"Now come on guys, don't bait him; it's a _portable _CD player," Chazz said sarcastically.

Jaden made no reply but instead lifted the player more and pressed one or two buttons. For a moment there was still just silence and then they understood.

"The CD player is Miss Dorothy's. She's letting me borrow it," Jaden explained over the sound of Renegade's voice.

"I'm glad you managed top save the CD, Jay," Syrus said as his friend sat down next to him on the grass. "I was afraid you were serious when you said you'd sing it yourself once we got back."

Jaden grinned.

-x-x-x-

"Shh! You're going to wake him!"

"Not likely; Jaden sleeps through _anything_."

"There's no way he'll be able to sleep through _this_!"

"Aaaw c'mon guys…"

"Chill, Sy. We're not going to _hurt _him."

Syrus looked doubtfully at Atticus and Chazz as they carried a sleeping Jaden down towards the water. Alexis, Bastion and Zane, not wanting anything to do with the operation, had stayed by their camp.

"Lower him onto this log," Chazz whispered.

The two of them did so and then, sniggering, pushed the log and Jaden into the water. The log submerged slightly wetting the bottom of Jaden's arms and legs but keeping most of him dry. Tying a piece of rope to a bit of the log they gently pushed Jaden's vessel further out into the water.

"This is going to be so funny," Chazz sniggered. "His face when he wakes up…!"

Half an hour later Alexis, Bastion and Zane saw a grinning Syrus coming back to the camp.

"So did Jaden make a big, funny scene?" Bastion asked.

"Nope," Syrus said, his grin getting bigger.

"No?" Alexis was surprised. "Then why the big smile?"

"He didn't wake up at all," he chortled. "Chazz and Attic tried everything short of drowning him. They gave up and are carrying him back here."

Alexis and Bastion roared with laughter, at first just at the news but later at the sight of Atticus and Chazz lugging a wet Jaden back to his sleeping bag.

"Well that worked," Alexis smirked at the two boys, who ignored her, scowling.

"He sleeps like a dead person," Atticus marvelled, shaking his head.

"If it wasn't for him _snoring_…"

Sniggers sounded from the few people who were clearly enjoying this.

"How _do _you wake him up, Sy?" Bastion asked the small boy.

"Easy, if you know how."

He knelt down next to Jaden and shook his shoulder three times before grabbing his wrist and pulling.

"Jaden! Jay, wake up. Breakfast time."

Jaden's eyes fluttered open almost instantly. Atticus and Chazz spluttered in horror and disbelief as the Slifer awoke with a yawn.

"Morning, Sy," Jaden said brightly. "Hey, Lex."

"Hey, Jay," Alexis said, trying hard not to laugh. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a log," Jaden grinned back.

"What?! You mean you didn't feel _anything_?" Chazz asked flabbergast.

"Feel what?" Jaden asked, wide-eyed and perplexed. Then he blinked and looked down at himself. "And why the heck am I _wet_?"

-x-x-x-

It was with lots of reluctance that the group packed up their things and moved back into the Academy's walls. They had forgotten more people had stayed behind and it was weird to see so many humans when they were used to Monsters. Jaden was still baffled by how he had gotten wet but Chazz and Atticus, irritated and humiliated by their failure, refused to say a word about it. Finally he let it go, enabling them all to enjoy lunch in peace, save for Chazz stirring things up once or twice. They were just finishing their meal when more news came from the nurse. And, just like when she told them of Reaper's presence, the news wasn't altogether pleasant. They could see as soon as she came over to them that something was wrong; she looked flustered and nervous. After a bit of coaxing, she spit it out.

"When you disappeared, Jaden, I… well I was afraid you were in real trouble because you were hurt. So I… I called your parents. Of course once you came back I called again and told them you were safe but… Oh I'm sorry Jaden! They're here to take you home. I know you wanted to stay here…"

There was a minute of silence before Jaden spoke up.

"They came all the way here to pick me up? _My parents_? You're serious?" he sounded incredulous.

"Well yes," the nurse said, looking surprised. "They're here now."

Jaden's mouth actually popped open in his shock. Everyone else shot each other confused looks, not understanding. Then Jaden's face cleared into comprehension.

"Today is the break between the semi-finals of the competition," he said in realization. "That's why they could come."

"Jay, what _are _you talking about?" Alexis asked him, still lost.

"Lex, my sister's skating tournament is still taking place. There is no way my parents would _ever _miss a day of it. But today there are no competition's taking place; it's a day off. That's how they could tear themselves away.

While he was still speaking he got up and began to walk towards where his parents would be. His friends naturally followed him, all of them at least a little disturbed by what he had said.

"So they'd put a finger skating competition before saving your life?" Alexis frowned.

"I wouldn't say that," Jaden disagreed. "They do love me, it's just they don't think too highly of duelling. So it's more like…" He paused for a moment to think. "I got hurt because I was stupid enough to waste my time playing a children's card game."

"Why do you think they came all the way here even though they know you're ok, then?" Bastion asked.

Jaden shrugged.

"Got no idea. My guess is I'm about to find out."

They all trooped through a set of doors to find a man and woman both standing in the room beyond. Aspects of Jaden were everywhere in the features, making it obvious they were his parents. His mother, a tall lady with lighter hair and eyes then her son, walked over to him and at once engulfed him in a hug, nearly taking Alexis out in the process.

"Oh Jaden," was all she said, sounding disapproving.

"I'm fine now," Jaden defended, his voice muffled.

"What if you weren't?" she demanded, letting him go and giving him a severe look. "And what were you thinking, disappearing like that without a trace?"

"He wasn't thinking, that's the problem with him," Jaden's father spoke up, still leaning against the far wall.

Mr Yuki had the hair and, by the looks of things, the appetite Jaden had inherited. They guess his eyes too were darker, although they couldn't be sure as the man supported an impressive pair of eyebrows. Chazz had to hide his laugh inside a cough as he imagined Jaden with eyebrows to match.

"Alright," Jaden surrendered quickly. "I was stupid and I didn't think and I'm sorry. But I'm back and totally okay. And you guys knew that. So howcome you're here?"

"The news you're okay reached us on just the right day," Mrs Yuki replied with a smile that was familiar. "Today's a day off in the contest, you know."

"I know," Jaden replied. "But still, I doubt you came all this way just to say you're glad I'm safe."

"Of course not," his father said gruffly, finally standing upright. "We're taking you home."

"Now?" Jaden's voice was full of disappointment. "But… Why couldn't you have just waited another week and picked me up when you were originally going to?"

"Because the sooner we get you out of here the better," his mother said, shuddering slightly as she looked at the walls as if the entire place repulsed her.

"And the applications for Pinewood close in four days," his father added.

"Pinewood?" Jaden was confused again. "The school back home? What does that have to do with anything?"

A feeling of unease entered Syrus now and it gnawed at his stomach. He tried to ignore it but it kept on warning him something was very wrong. One glance at everyone's faces and he could tell they knew something was up too.

"Come now, Jaden." His mother was using the tone one would use with a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. "You wanted to go to this place, and so we went along with your silly wish for an entire year. Not only is this a waste of time, but now we have proof it can be dangerous too."

"You're not letting me come back?" Jaden asked in a stunned voice.

"It's time you actually did something with your life," his father put in.

"Aw come on, no!" Jaden half wailed. "You can't be serious! Please!" He was begging almost as hard as he had with Reaper.

"Jaden, don't be difficult," Mrs Yuki sighed.

"_Please _Mr and Mrs Yuki, Jaden is a really good duellist! He _belongs _here," Alexis pleaded.

"He's my best friend," Syrus added, also pleading.

"He saved me and the entire Academy more then once," Atticus pointed out.

"With Jaden's skills he truly deserves to stay," Zane said quietly.

The gang turned to Chazz.

"Let the Slacker stay; Crowler needs a chew-toy," Chazz shrugged.

They turned back to Mr and Mrs Yuki, wondering if Chazz's comment had been a good or a bad thing.

"_Please, _Mom," Jaden begged again. "I love this place. It's everything I've wanted and more. And if it doesn't work out you know Old Man Bryan says he'll always have a job for me."

There was silence for a moment and then Mr and Mrs Yuki looked at each other. With a flare of hope they realized they were considering it. Most of them crossed their fingers and stuck them behind their backs. After what seemed like forever, they stopped murmuring to each other and Jaden's father spoke up.

"Alright, Jaden, here's what's going to happen. You will take part in a duel ad if you win you'll be allowed to stay."

Faces lit up with smiles at this news; they were all pretty confident Jaden would be able to win.

"Who am I duelling? One of my friends?"

"No, they'll just let you win." Mr Yuki thought for a moment. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

Without waiting for a reply he strode out. Syrus raised his eyebrows at Jaden who shrugged in return. He had no idea what was going on either. They waited in silence for a few minutes before sounds of an argument began to reach them. It was very heated and the people having it were not coming closer very enthusiastically at all.

"Sounds like your opponent isn't too keen to duel you," Alexis noted with raised eyebrows.

There was the sound of a pair of heavy footsteps and Mr Yuki appeared, a scowl in place.

"I don't care if that's what you think of it, you _will _duel him. I say so, and you obey my rules!" he yelled out the door.

There was a screamed answer that nobody could make out. Even so, they saw Jaden stiffen.

"I know you have them here; you were going to give them to charity after the tournament!" Mr Yuki answered the unheard scream.

There was a short reply, also not understandable, that made Jaden's father bristle in anger.

"Sarah Abigale Yuki, you get yourself in here _now!_" he bellowed.

With a wave of shock they all understood why Jaden was so tense and why the other duellist didn't want to duel. Before they could say anything another set of footsteps sounded. Inside stepped Sarah Yuki with a very irritated look on her face and crossed arms. She was small and dainty with hair that was dyed blond with an assortment of pink streaks in it. The feature that had them reeling, however, were her eyes. They were exactly the same as Renegade's, down to the last shade. The only difference was that where Renegade's seemed to reach right into your soul Sarah's shut your soul out. They also didn't show any emotion like Renegade's did; they were dead.

'I'm not going to duel him," Sarah snapped at her father, not even looking at Jaden.

Her voice surprised Atticus; he had been expecting it to sound like Renegade's but instead it was girlie and somehow unsettling. Jaden winced.

"Sarah…" her father warned, and she glared harder.

"Fine," she snapped in her out-of-place voice.

She turned and stalked out, still without half a glance in Jaden's direction. There was silence after her departure that was broken by Jaden getting out his deck and his parent's following his sister. Alexis's curiosity got the better of her.

"Jay?" she asked hesitantly. "Her eyes…?"

Jaden nodded, understanding the question.

"Once upon a time they were _exactly _like Reni's. She turned cold, though, and her eyes show it."

"And her voice?" Atticus asked, rather revolted by the sound.

Jaden managed a grin.

"It wasn't exactly like Reni's although it had the same calming effect instead of making you want to hit something. It's not naturally so… Screechy."

"She _wants _it to sound like that?!"

"Took her four years to perfect it," Jaden confirmed. "Now it's the only way she speaks."

He grinned a small grin again at his friends' faces. Then he stepped outside towards his sister and one of the biggest duels of his life.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything.

"I'm sure Jaden will win this one, no problem," Syrus said confidently as they followed Jaden to where his sister stood waiting. "I mean, Sarah hasn't duelled in years."

"Don't underestimate her," Bastion warned. "If she's anything like Jaden or Renegade she'll have a few surprises up her sleeve."

They all settled down on the soft grass, while Jaden's parents stood a long way off, to watch the was still refusing to look at her brother as he stood in front of her and started to shuffle his deck.

"You start," she said, finally having to look at the Slifer.

Without a word Jaden drew.

" I play the Elemental Hero Clayman in Defence Mode, place one card Facedown and end my turn," he said calmly.

Sarah pulled a disgusted face.

"You're _still _using those _stupid _things?" she scorned.

Jaden didn't reply and she drew. Pursing her lips she surveyed her cards, seemingly deciding something.

"Hmmm… How should I do this; short and devastating or drawn out so that you realize every second that today is your last day here?" she mused, half a smile on her lips.

"Yeah, that's definitely a part of Reni," Bastion commented, remembering the heroine's similar smile and tactics.

"I guess I'll have to make it quick," Sarah grimaced, looking at her watch. "I have no time to play. I play Winner's Prize. For every Facedown card on the felid, one of your Monsters goes to the Graveyard. While I'm at it, I'll also activate Runner Up Prize, which lets me destroy all your Trap and Spell cards. Then I'll play Twirl Girl Lila in Attack Mode and end my turn."

"Jeesh, her cards are pretty powerful," Atticus said, sounding surprised. "She practically flattened Jaden…"

"It just shows how dangerous girls can be," Alexis said primly.

"Lex, I've lived with you my whole life; I _know _how dangerous girls can be,"

"Come on, Jaden, I don't have all day," Sarah's too-high voice snapped.

Jaden exhaled and drew, his worries that Sarah hadn't gotten worse confirmed. He knew she had some plan in her head that she would stick to, and until he figured out what it was he had to remain on the defensive.

"I summon Hero Boy in Defence Mode and end my turn," he said, his eyes on his sister's face searching for clues.

Sarah drew, not paying any attention to the card as she smirked at her brother.

"I activate Lila's Special Ability; every turn she does not attack she forces you to draw either the strongest or the weakest card from the top half of your deck. And I say the strongest. So draw."

"Wait… Why the _strongest _card he has?" Syrus was confused.

"So that she can take Jaden out quicker, if she has the right cards," Chazz replied impatiently.

"Yeah, but it could also mean that Jaden has a much better chance of kicking her butt, right?" Syrus asked. When everybody agreed, his brow furrowed. "Then why is Jaden looking so worried about the card he's just drawn?"

Upon inspection Syrus was proved right; Jaden did not look happy with what he had been forced to draw. In fact, he was eyeing the card as though it was going to explode at any moment.

"Don't like the card you got? Well that's just too bad, little brother. I play Twirl Girl Lali in attack Mode and activate _her _Special Ability; when her sister is on the felid with her, she forces you to play the card Lila forced you to draw."

Jaden's eyes widened.

"Sarah, please. _Please _don't make me do that," Jaden begged calmly. "The Academy has many gateways-"

"Quit the stories and play the card," Sarah interrupted, a fake smile on her lips.

"You bring this on yourself," Jaden muttered, shutting his eyes for a short moment. "I sacrifice Hero Boy to play…" He hesitated, still not wanting to play the card. But it was a duel and he had to comply. "To play the Elemental Hero Renegade."

Renegade exploded onto the field in a whirl of unfolding black feathers. For a moment she stood as still as Sarah's two Twirl Girls but then she blinked and her lips pulled back in a snarl.

"So Renegade is once again fully with us, then," Bastion, watching as the snarl became wider.

"Sarah doesn't seem to like seeing her old creation again," Zane said in his calm voice.

That was a bit of an understatement. The blond girl's eyes were wider then Jaden's had been as she stared in horror at Renegade. Suddenly her horror turned to anger.

"Do you really think that _thing_ is supposed to be a threat to me?" she scoffed in a voice that was not the shrill soprano they had first heard her use. Then she flipped her hair over her shoulder and her voice returned to the girlish squeak. "I can do nothing as both my Twirl Girls only have 800 Attack Points, so I'll end my turn."

Jaden shot a wary look at Renegade before drawing. Relief crossed his face as he saw the card.

"I play the Polymerisation along with the Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix to form the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman! You're forgetting that I know your cards, Sarah. I know that if Lila is destroyed, Lali goes right along with her. So, Reni, let's get rid of them."

Sarah grit her teeth as Renegade unsheathed her daggers, again slowly and deliberately. The dark heroine was looking straight at the girl as she advanced slowly, her deadly blades firmly in her grasp.

"But… If Wingman had attacked, Jaden would have caused more damage because of his Special Ability and then Renegade could have wiped Sarah out," Chazz muttered, wondering if Jaden was losing his touch.

"Are you mental?!" Bastion yelped back. "Didn't you see how Renegade reacted to Sarah's mere _name_?! If she gets half the chance she won't only attack Sarah, she'll _destroy _her, no matter what her laws say. And Jaden knows that."

"That's also why he was so relieved to draw Avian," Zane agreed. "He's the only Elemental Hero that can control Renegade, even if it is only slightly."

"Now," Jaden continued after Renegade had obliterated the two Twirl Girls. "Flame Wingman can take you on directly, cutting your Life Points down to 200."

"I'll bet Reni is wishing they were in a Shadow Game," Chazz commented, seeing the heroine's face as Sarah got burned.

"Do you really think _you _can stop me?" Sarah shrilled. "You're more pathetic then the cards you use! Always have been, and always will be. Gosh I'm so ashamed to have the same name as a _loser_!"

Renegade hissed as her words cut into Jaden, making him wince. She started forward but suddenly the arm of Flame Wingman was flung out, catching her round the middle and stopping her. Scowling heavily, Renegade retreated unwillingly, her eyes dark with some emotion they were too far away to see. Sarah pretended not to notice as she drew and then smiled in a way that made their hearts sink.

"Let's see how powerful and confident you are without your little floozy around. I play the Card Skater's Blades which allows me, at the cost of half of my Life Points, to destroy any Monster on your side of the field." She looked straight into Renegade's eyes as she smirked, "Goodbye."

The heroine's teeth gleamed as her snarl widened but she did not move as the skate flew towards her, blade first. However, before the blade made contact it suddenly wavered and fell.

"Again; I know your cards," Jaden said calmly as his Life Points cut themselves in half. "I know that card can be stopped if I give up half my own Life Points. I've learned from my mistakes, Sarah," he continued quietly. " I'm never going to abandon her again.

The snarl slipped from Renegades face as she turned to look at him. Sarah glared and slapped another card down.

"Fine! I'll just get rid of her temporarily for now with the card Lucky Pirouette. Whichever of your Monsters it stops on is unable to attack for three turns. So spin, my little skater."

The figure twirled but when it stopped it was pointing at Flame Wingman. Sarah cursed and glared and Jaden stared in horror as his Monster was chained down, unable to move.

"Do you realize what you've just done?" he asked, his voice nearly a whisper. "He's not going to be able to stop her if…" He glanced at Renegade, who seemed to be thinking the same thing and was smirking wickedly.

"And do you realize that you've just confirmed my theory that you're afraid to attack me with Renegade?" Sarah replied. "It's so laughable that you're willing to loose over a card's attack," she sneered.

"Come on, Jay! You could still draw another Monster!" Alexis encouraged.

Jaden threw a small grin in her direction as he drew another card. Holding his breath he glanced at it and his face fell. It was a Spell Card, and one that was utterly useless to him now. He stared at the cards in is hands, torn between two decisions. He knew his sister's deck and duelling abilities; if he didn't attack her this round there was a very good chance she would take him out in the next. But if he attacked her with Renegade… She was on her last chance. One more disobedience and she'd be silenced for good. The thought of her not existing made his stomach drop away and his blood freeze. He loved the Duel Academy very much, but it wasn't the only place he could use Renegade. And his friends would stay in touch…

He was still undecided when a great, and very familiar, light suddenly appeared above the two duellists. Renegade and the siblings looked up just as it descended and engulfed the heoine. When it lifted slightly again a few seconds later Renegade was gone. Her form still stood on Jaden's side of the field but it was still and lifeless; a mere hollergram. Jaden saw this and, before she could return, he gave the command to attack. He breathed a sight of relief when, after Sarah's Life Points had turned to zero, Renegade disappeared with the rest of the Monsters. His friends were about to holler their congratulations when Sarah let out a high-pitched scream and bolted, straight into the lights.

"Wait!" Jaden called after her. "You might enter the gateway! Wait!"

However, she just kept running and was soon lost in the light. Distressed and calling her parents followed her, making the gang and Jaden follow close behind.

"Hasn't she ever seen the movies?!" Chazz growled in frustration. "They basically focus around the saying of '_don't _go into the light'."

Ignoring him they continued to call to her, catching up to Mr and Mrs Yuki very quickly. Jaden tried to get his parents to turn back but even as he grabbed his mother's arm they all felt the sensation of falling and knew it was too late. Like the return trip, they all stayed conscious through the whirling colours and sickening turning. Then they finally hit solid ground, not many of them able to keep their footing, and they found themselves looking at surreal flowers again.

"What the _heck _is going on here?!" Sarah shrieked, flinging herself at her mother and father. "Where did all this _come _from? Why does it look so _weird_?" Her girly voice was breaking in some places.

"It's alright," Bastion tried to sooth the three Yukis who hadn't been into the realm before. "Those lights were actually a gateway out of our realm and into a place called the Beast Realm."

"I thought that place was just a story made to impress little kids who played the Duel Monsters game," Mrs Yuki said faintly, looking around at the surreal landscape.

"It is!" Sarah spat. "If you expect me to believe that a Duel Monster is going to suddenly- Aaaah!"

Her scream was terrified as she spotted something behind everyone else. They spun around to see Avian landing.

"You kids really do have a knack of finding your way here," he said, his voice slightly disapproving.

Mrs Yuki was now the one to scream, looking as though she was about to pass out. Mr Yuki couldn't seem to close his mouth. The winged hero raised his hands in a surrendering gesture.

"It's alright," he said in his calm, authoritive voice. "I'm not going to hurt you. The other Elemental Heroes and I _help _humans who stray into our realm get back to their realm. Our HQ is just over there." The others looked where he pointed and, sure enough, the headquarters was less then three miles away.

"At least we landed close this time," Syrus said, remembering the Plague Wolves with a shudder.

"There are… others?" Mrs Yuki asked faintly.

"Yes," Avian replied, still soothingly. "Every Duel Monsters card is a Monster in this realm. Not all of them are safe, however, so I suggest we get into the HQ now."

Mr Yuki spluttered in shock as his gaze turned to the sky. A few moments later Burstinatrix, Bubbleman and Sparkman landed just behind Avian.

"Fantastic, the kids are back!" Sparkman whooped and Burstinatrix grinned too.

"Nice of you to come back," she smiled at Jaden.

"Nice to be back," he laughed. Then his expression sobered as he saw the three new arrivals had bruises and cuts on their bodies. "What happened to you guys?"

"All part of our job," Bubbleman explained. "We had to detain another Monster, and they didn't go down easy."

"That's an understatement," Sparkman snorted. "We nearly-"

"Let's get inside shall we," Bubbleman said loudly, cutting across whatever vulgar description Sparkman was about to give.

Trying not to laugh, the gang headed towards the headquarters, followed hesitantly by Sarah and her parents. As they began to climb the steps of the comic-book building a suspicion crept into Jaden's mind. He kept quiet about it, however, wanting to make sure it was true before he acted. As they reached the control room he pushed forward and looked around it. Finding it empty, a sure sign that his suspicions were correct, he turned to the Elemental Heroes.

"Avian? Exactly where did you guys put the detained Monster?" he asked, his voice a forced calm with an undercurrent of stronger emotions.

"On the first floor, the second last door in the passage," he replied and Jaden left without another word.

"You're letting him go to a deranged _monster_?!" Mrs Yuki whimpered.

"Believe me, Madam, Jaden is the safest he can be down there," Burstinatrix said.

Alexis caught on as the heroine said that.

"You had to detain _her_, didn't you?" she asked, and everybody else except the three Yukis knew who Alexis was referring too. "It was you guys who made the lights?"

"Unfortunately," Burstinatrix sighed. "It was just too dangerous to let her be. Not only was a life in danger, but because of her record…" She trailed off; everybody had heard of the warning. "She seems to have calmed down, though," the heroine went on. "I can't hear her trying to break the chains." She turned to Avian. "Do you think we can let her go now? Jaden is here, after all."

Avian was silent for a while before saying slowly, "You know I hate chaining her as much as you do, Trix, but I don't know if it's safe to let her go…" He thought for a while longer. "If we can get her to promise, then maybe we can try it. She's still bound by the codes of the Elemental Hero."

The two of them left and there was silence in the control room. Everybody who knew what was going on was straining to try and hear what was going on and the three who didn't were too bewildered to ask any questions. After a while there were the sounds of four footsteps on the stairs.

"Yep, she's free!" Sparkman said, a grin in his voice. Then he glanced at Sarah and added to Bubbleman, "We'd better just get in front of them, just in case."

"What is going on? They let the Monster free?" Mr Yuki blustered.

"Yes, sir," Bubbleman replied calmly, taking his place in front of Sarah. "Most of the danger has passed. And it is unfair to keep one of our own in chains like a dumb animal."

The door opened and the two Heroes entered, cautious as they glanced behind them. Next came Jaden and behind him stepped Renegade. Again, her beauty caught their breaths in their throats. Then the wonder turned to a bit of fear as she turned towards Sarah and snarled.

"Renegade, you promised," Avian reminded her, his voice commanding.

Jaden grabbed her hand and pulled in the direction of the sleeper-couches and her mobile. For a second she resisted, then she followed him calmly. The rest of the gang followed her, knowing that while she was with Jaden Renegade would be the person they liked and not a savage killer. Sarah stood, frozen in shock as her parents began to splutter about safety.

"Jaden will be just fine," Avian replied, soothing them again. "Renegade loves him more then she loves herself; that's the way she was created." He threw a small glance at Sarah as he said this and noted that her cheeks turned pink.

"It's your daughter you should be concerned about," Burstinatrix said bluntly. "She's the reason Renegade revolted; she doesn't like Sarah much. But as long as Jaden is around her, even Sarah will be safe. Because Renegade is calmed by him and also because she will never put Jaden in any danger at all, and if she attacked with him around there is a chance he would get hurt too."

"Which brings us to the point I need to discuss with you," Avian continued smoothly. "Clayman has joined the others on their vacation so it's just the four of us. We'll be able to handle her, but only if she's kept with Jaden at all times. That means breaking a few rules, such as the one we have about us Monsters sleeping in the same place as our human guests. This is not some game to Renegade as it has been in the past; she is dead serious about this one. And so if she's away from Jaden for even an instant… We _cannot _let that happen. They stay together _at all times_, and we'll have to look for other means for Renegade to release her… Erm…"

"Personality?" Sparkman finished for him.

"I was going to say antagonism, but that's probably a better word," Avian laughed.

"And you're certain… Renegade… will not harm anybody just because _Jaden _is with her?" Mr Yuki sounded sceptic.

"Take a look and see for yourself," Avian smiled, gesturing to the sleeper-couches.

The children were all seated on various couches, with Jaden and Renegade sharing one that had already been folded down. He was lying on her lap, ginning as she braided Alexis's hair. Everybody was utterly at ease, including the heroine. The scene was as perfect as one seen in a movie, if any movie ever cast an angel as brilliant as Renegade. Unable to stop themselves, Mr and Mrs Yuki found themselves relaxing and thinking of Jaden as safe.

It had grown dark since their arrival and Avian suddenly caught Reni's eye and motioned something to her. She nodded.

"Ok, time for human sleepy-bye," she grinned.

"You're kidding, right?" Chazz said blandly.

"Night is shorter in the Beast Realm, so you need to start off early," Renegade reminded him, not moving from underneath Jaden as the rest began top pull their couches into beds. "Besides, tomorrow it's homeward bound. If we can find an open gateway," she added, and she seemed smug.

"You don't think there'll be one?" Syrus asked.

"It's very unlikely," she replied with a smirk. "The others had to force one open prematurely that was only starting to get down there today, and that interference means that there aren't going to be any to the Academy for a while."

Everybody grinned around her, not minding that news at all. Jaden, especially, seemed very happy to hear it. Everybody was now lying down, Jaden still on top of Renegade, but none of them looked ready to sleep. Jaden turned and asked the heroine something in a low voice and she smiled. A moment later her lullaby started coming from her lips. The sound calmed everybody but Sarah. Her mussels locked and, unnoticed by anybody, she dug into her pocket, took out a card, and read the instructions that were written on it again, her lips pressed into a thin line.

-x-x-x-

Renegade was proved right when no gateway to the Academy was found the next day. Mr and Mrs Yuki tried to sooth their daughter with the condolence that her next event was only in a few days, but she still threw quite a bit of a tantrum. It ended quickly, however, when Renegade and Jaden returned from outside. Renegade had muttered an insult and Sarah had turned a bright red. Later on in the day, she was still sulking, although quietly by now. It was just as she got up to start another tantrum when Bubbleman entered. He had a mask of mixed emotions on his face.

"Avian, I know we usually don't take these jobs and instead give them to Takoona's squad but I think under the circumstances…" He handed a piece of paper to Avian. "You said to find ways for Renegade to release her antagonism."

Avian studied it silently, his face portraying how much he disliked the instructions written on the piece of paper. He looked up as Renegade and Jaden came back with the rest of the gang, all of them dusty and grinning.

"Reni, I have a job for you," he said.

Renegade scowled.

"Can't it wait till Jay's gone? Or give it to someone else," she said, turning away.

"It's an assassination."

She swivelled back to him at once, her eyes suddenly alight. They could see the excitement and desire that one word had caused in her.

"I thought we turned those over to Takoona," she asked, cautious of her sudden luck.

"We do," Avian replied slowly. "But this time it was sent to us with a plea for us to consider this one, because the subject is more cunning then usual. And Takoona's people don't always kill their victims, letting them stand another trial. That's what's happened in this one's case many times. He's had too many last chances; they want him eliminated as the danger he is."

"And there's no time limit or set method that I have to use?"

Sparkman coughed to hide his laughter at the look on Renegade's face. Burstinatrix grinned but Avian and Bubbleman scowled at her.

"That's not funny. This time you are to keep your hands and mouth to yourself and your clothes _on_."

At this Sparkman and Burstinatrix both cracked up laughing as Renegade smirked and then pulled her features into a hurt look.

"It was _once_," she sniffed defensively. "And it was only because he asked, and he was _really _cute." She smirked and the playful look in her eyes made the human boys snort with laughter and Alexis grin.

"Renegade," Avian warned.

"Alright, alright! I'll do this without making things more pleasant for him. I was just making sure," she said, putting her hands up with a sigh.

"Just go before I change my mind," Avian groaned, holding out the letter to her.

Renegade skipped passed him, taking the letter as she went. At the door she turned, blew Jaden a kiss and then disappeared. Nobody could miss the fire that was burning in her eyes. She would surely enjoy this.

"She's barely out of the building and I'm already regretting this." Avian put his head in his hands.

"We'll track her for now and switch off when it gets to age-restricted," Burstinatrix supplied, touching one of the screens on the walls.

It flickered for a few moments and then settled. The setting was a part of the forest outside the town they were in, and even in the afternoon it was dark under the trees. A Monster lay there, alert but not afraid. He was a panther, but one that stood on two legs and wore human clothes. There was the faintest of rustlings as Renegade landed. In the semi-darkness with her wings outstretched and a purpose in her she looked terrifying. The panther seemed to sense her presence and he whirled around only to freeze at the sight of her.

"You've been pretty naughty," Renegade said calmly, the trace of the venom the humans had heard the last time there again, chilling them as they heard it.

The panther was not as foolish as the lizard men had been. He heard the undertone and leapt to his feet, looking ready to run. A faint snarl came from his lips.

"Yes, I'm going to kill you," Renegade told him, smirking as he started to back off. "Are you going to run?" Her voice was a whisper now, her smirk like a predator's on her lips. "I love it when they run… It's so much more fun for me…" A thought suddenly struck her and her gleaming teeth showed as she grinned wider. "Imagine if Takoona saw me kill you… The look on her face when I prove I was allowed to…"

The panther's hiss started, but he knew it was futile just by looking at the deadly beauty before him. He stood still, however, seeming to accept his fate. This made Renegade frown.

"No, I'm being serious," she told him, the trace of venom gone. "Please won't you run to where Takoona can see me? Pretty please?"

Sparkman erupted into laughter and even Avian's mouth twitched at the sincerity of the heroine's request.

"That girl…"

Renegade sighed and took a step forward and that one movement sent the panther over the edge. With a wild yowl he flung himself at Renegade. The deadly smile returned as she crouched and reached down to her boots…

"That's all we need to see," Avian said, switching the screen off. "I guess the deed is done, then," he murmured, not seeming pleased about it.

"Sarah?" Mrs Yuki suddenly called. "Sarah! Where are you?!"

"She must have run out," Bubbleman said, noting the open door.

"Let's go," Avian said at once. "Don't worry; we'll find her. She couldn't have gotten that far."

Mrs Yuki still began to sob, even as Jaden and her husband tried to calm her. Through her blubbering she blamed Jaden's 'stupid child's game' for everything. Jaden couldn't argue with her like that, and stuck to calming her down. However, when Renegade returned, he left it to his father and joined her. The others had already explained what had happened and her eyes gleamed.

"The Plague Wolves are pretty active today," she said, her voice hopeful. "And there are many ditches… Loose soil that caves into deep holes… Unseen cliffs… Woods to get lost in…" She looked positively gleeful.

"You are evil," Burstinatrix told her, but there was a gleam of something in her eye that Renegade responded to with a grin.

Forty five minutes later the Heroes returned with Sarah in tow. To Mrs Yuki's relief and Reni's disappointment, she was fine. She explained that she had gotten scared of Renegade as she saw her attack and had then gotten lost. While everybody soothed her and listened patiently to her story Renegade lent against the opposite wall with narrowed eyes. Jaden noticed and came up to her.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, stroking her cheek as he tried to read her eyes.

Alexis and the others turned to listen to.

"I don't trust her," Renegade snarled, her eyes locked on Sarah. "Scared my _ass_. She created me; she knows _exactly _how I attack… She left for a different reason, and she did _not _get lost; she was up to something. I can tell. And whatever it was, it is _not good_."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: For the last time, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX and Disney's Anastasia

For the rest of the evening, all through the night and most of the morning Sarah was quiet. Her parents put it down to shock, but Jaden knew better. He knew his sister would, under normal circumstances, be screaming blue murder by now to try and get back to her precious competition. The silent acceptance she seemed to have made him wonder if Renegade's suspicions were exactly right. And while he became more and more suspicious, so did Renegade. The whole she did not sleep at all but instead watched Sarah through with narrowed eyes. Her tension was rubbing off on everybody, especially Jaden, and by the time it was close to noon they were very jumpy. Bubbleman kept trying to sooth her, but Renegade would not be calmed. She knew her creator, and she was set in her thoughts.

The sun was beating directly overhead, it's surreal look not influencing the warmth it gave off. Everyone was in the Control Room, although nobody was speaking. Renegade, however, was not glaring at Sarah and instead was busy with Alexis's hair again, Jaden next to her and watching. Today she was weaving it into a crown of tiny braids; something one would find on a Disney princess. She was engrossed in her work and so the Monster bursting through the door took her by surprise along with the others even though she was closest to the door.

"What on earth happened?!" Avian yelled in shock as he saw the Monster.

It was an Amazon Archer, as intimidating in real-life as she was on a card. But unlike on a card she was bleeding; ripped by animal claws. Leaning heavily on the wall to support herself, she tried to gasp out an answer. For the first minute she was unsuccessful, but finally she blurted it out.

"Army of Monsters… Heading to attack HQ… Lead by Reaper… Merciless…"

Renegade tensed until Jaden was sure her muscles would burst and the rest of the Heroes were not calm either. Burstinatrix's palms began to smoke as Avian began to shake his head.

"But it's impossible! We put a spell on this place when we first heard about Reaper, making it so that he could never find this place, unless somebody who has been up here"- he gestured around the room- "told him where to find us!"

"Somebody… must have told," the Amazon insisted, her eyes truthful.

"There are only three other Monsters who have been up here, and all of them are downstairs. We'll go question them now," Burstinatrix said, her voice threatening.

Her and Avian left, leaving the rest staring after them in silent shock. Bubbleman started to tend to the wounded Amazon as Sparkman began to pace.

"Who? Who would want to take our headquarters or us out of the way so badly they'd get _Reaper _on the case? Who the hell would be so f-"

"Wait!" Mrs Yuki interrupted him, her eyes wide. "Who is this Reaper? What does he want?"

"Reaper used to be a Shadow Rider. They are a band of merciless Duellists who tried to get the Spirit Keys to unlock the Three Sacred Beasts. They were all stopped, however, by the kids." Bubbleman indicated to the gang seated around Renegade.

"But we don't have any keys…" Mr Yuki exclaimed, as though he were talking to idiots.

"Reaper never wanted the keys. He travelled around, finding cards that were abandoned and taking them back to their previous owners for revenge. When he won the duel against them his belt, which is something called a Shadow Charm, allowed him to take his victim's soul and drop it here in the Beast Realm where the Monsters can get proper revenge on their old owners." He paused. "That's how Renegade found Jaden again."

"Jaden…" Sparkman exclaimed, stopping in his tracks. "This isn't about taking us or HQ down… He wants Jaden…"

"You!"

The snarl was so venomous and so unexpected almost everybody jumped and pivoted to the sound. Renegade was on her feet, hands curled into fists and her angry eyes boring holes into Sarah.

"You did this, didn't you? Yesterday you went to Reaper and told him where to find us…"

"Get Avian," Bubbleman told Sparkman, panic in his voice as he saw Renegade's expression.

For once Sparkman did not have a comeback and instead he bolted downstairs as Bubbleman stood, ready to tackle Renegade if she tried anything. Sarah stared at the heroine for a second, still shocked by her outburst. But then the shock disappeared and a defiant look came to her face.

"Yes, I did. So what?"

Syrus's eyes grew as wide as dinner plates as he stared at Sarah in pure shock. Everybody else seemed to react in the same way except Renegade, who let out a snarl of pure fury.

"Sarah!" Mrs Yuki sounded shocked. "Why would you even talk to such a horrible man?!"

"Because he came to me at the competition and told me that if I ever needed _anything _I should come to him. He gave me a card of directions to follow on how to find him. He said if I told him where this place was he'd get me back to the competition!" She was speaking calmly, as though explaining pure logic to everybody.

"Do you understand," Renegade said through tightly clenched teeth. "that he is after Jaden to steal his soul? Or if he doesn't manage that to _kill _him?! He is out for revenge! Did you realize that when you causally gave away his protection?" She was hissing in rage, every mussel quivering in the effort to keep herself from attacking.

"I told him it is essential I get back _today _and then he told me what the cost would be, yes."

At her calm confession that she had sold her brother to Reaper in exchange for watching her opponents perform Renegade snapped. The sound that tore from her throat had no name and her eyes stopped showing mere fury. The look in them then was one of pure _murder_.

"No!" Bubbleman roared, flinging himself at her and catching her in a headlock just as she began to leap.

Renegade continued to fight him; thrashing, striking, cuffing him with her wings and even biting. He was being severely beaten by the infuriated heroine and his grip on her was loosening despite desperate attempts to hold on. Just as she managed to tear through his grasp and leap to her feet Sparkman tackled her from the side, smacking her to the floor. She kicked him hard in the stomach and as he recoiled she hauled herself up again, only to be brought to her knees by Bubbleman. Even though both Heroes now held her, Renegade was still refusing to back down and both of them were getting their butts kicked rather hard. Luckily they were able to keep her from unsheathing her daggers, or else they would have been eliminated a long time ago.

Renegade again managed to break free and stood but once again she was thwarted; their was a flash at the doorway and a moment later Flame Wingman charged in and grabbed Renegade's arms, holding them behind her back. The heroine snarled in rage; she knew she could not defeat Wingman. As the fused Monster held her Sparkman and Bubbleman grabbed the chains Avian had brought with him and began snapping them on Renegade's wrists and ankles while she still struggled with all her might.

"Please, Renegade, don't make us put on the neck chain," Wingman begged her, his voice truly pleading. "You are no animal."

Slowly Renegade relented until finally she was quiet, kneeling amongst droplets of blood while chained. Her eyes were still black fury as they glared at Sarah. There was no doubt that, if given the chance again, she would tear the girl to shreds.

"We cannot fight amongst each other," Wingman continued. "Reaper is coming, and quickly. We must device a plan to get everybody out of the attack alive. Especially Jaden. We are going to need a spectacular plan, so everybody start thinking!"

"If he gets hurt at all I _will _kill you," Renegade vowed, her eyes burning Sarah in their intenseness.

"I won't," Jaden said, kneeling in front of Renegade and making her turn her gaze to him. "I promise I won't, Reni. Just please let this go. If you're chained, you'll be a sitting duck! Don't forget he swore revenge on you too."

Everybody waited, their eyes on Renegade. After a moment her eyes softened and she relaxed.

"I'll make sure you're alright," he promised him quietly. Then she turned to Flame Wingman. "I won't hurt her," she promised unwillingly. "even though she deserves it."

"Still, we're going to keep you chained until we go out, just in case," Flame Wingman replied. "Now, does anybody have a plan?"

"I do," Bastion said suddenly, and every eye flashed to him. "Reaper had to get in some way, didn't he? So that gateway is still open. We know he's headed here, so the gateway will be unguarded or sloppily guarded. We can get back to our realm through the gateway he created."

"That's bloody brilliant," Sparkman enthused.

"The only problem is we don't know where his gateway leads to," Bubbleman put in.

"I do. The rest of my tribe and I saw a Monster force open a gateway for him. He came from the Duel Academy the children attend."

"Well, the plan's settled then," Flame Wingman said, given Bastion an approving look. "We'll get you lot back to your realm, seal the gateway and then take on the Monsters and Reaper."

"But he'll just come for us again when we're back!" Syrus cried out, fear colouring his tone.

"No," Wingman shook his head. "Reaper has done too many crimes in the eyes of the Council. We will be allowed to take him out permanently, even though he is a human. He will never bother you again after today."

"He has a whole army of Monsters, though, and you are just…" Alexis trailed off, worried.

"We've sent distress signals to those on vacation and to the Council. We will be backed up tremendously. Besides," Wingman smiled at her. "you're forgetting we have Renegade."

"She'll be able to take out the entire army by herself," Chazz muttered, causing the dark heroine to grin at him.

"Right," Flame Wingman said, suddenly businesslike again. "Bubbleman, you go out to the west to meet our comrades coming back from their vacation. Sparkman, you go to the Council and lead their troops and lead them to where I signal you too. Renegade, your job is to protect Jaden. Stick to him like a shadow, understood?" Renegade nodded, finding nothing to complain about in her job. "I'm going to unchain you now," Wingman replied, cautiously beginning to bend down. "Stick to your job and behave."

With a lot of clinking the chains fell to the floor and Renegade stood up, shaking her feathers before she folded her wings. She didn't even look at Sarah.

"Sparkman, Bubbleman, you two go out the front. We'll take the longer way to avoid them seeing us. Renegade, stay on the ground while I fly above."

The two heroes nodded and started down the stairs, quickly and with a sense of urgency. Renegade stood next to Jaden, waiting to leave. Wingman pressed another button and a chute appeared opposite the door. He went first and after he had disappeared down it, Renegade motioned for all the other humans to go. Sarah didn't look to happy, but she remembered Renegade's anger and kept quiet. After all of the humans had descended Renegade pushed herself after them. The chute ended outside, behind the HQ in a cluster of bushes. For a while all of them went on foot, silent and listening. After a while, however, Flame Wingman took to the air, telling Renegade again to stick to her job, as though she needed any reminder to protect the one person she loved. They all walked in a bundle with Renegade and Jaden in the center. The heroine had his hand in hers and the pressure on his fingers comforted him.

The walk was long and they didn't dare make any noise at all for fear of being discovered. The places they walked through were eerie and Syrus stayed as close to the rest as he could without being on top of them. Alexis's hair kept scaring her as it brushed against her cheek or neck, but it was too beautiful and complex for her to upbraid and so it stayed in its crown. After what seemed like forever the light became brighter, and they knew they were reaching the gateway. Renegade kept her eyes on the figure in the sky, waiting to see if he spotted any danger. But Bastion proved right; nobody was left guarding the gateway. As Wingman signalled it was safe Renegade rounded the last corner and the whole gang was faced with the gateway, the lights shimmering in and around it, but not obscuring it as they always did in the human's realm.

"Ok you lot better get going," Renegade said in a low voice. "Get as far away from the gateway as possible, just in case."

She held out her arms and Jaden walked into them. She hugged him tightly for a brief moment and then let him go. They all started to walk towards the gateway when an animal roar reached their ears. Renegade spun around to see five or six Monsters coming out of hiding.

"Go, go!" she yelled to the humans, spinning to face the Monsters with a snarl.

The one that had roared before, a huge beast with an axe, lifted its head and let out a howl.

"Wingman, it's calling Reaper! Stop it!" Renegade bellowed, refusing to move as the rest of the guards came towards her and the humans.

Wingman dove, cutting the Monster off in mid-howl. But the damage had been done, and he knew it was only a matter of time before Reaper arrived. He flung a series of flames into the air, where they hovered to form the Hero Signal; the others would come to their aid, hopefully before Reaper's entire army arrived. Meanwhile most of the Monsters had halted at the sight of a snarling Renegade; they had all heard what she was capable of doing. But three still surged forward, and she unsheathed her daggers in a lightning-quick motion, ready for them. The two in front each got a dagger stuck in the base of their necks and as they withered away, screaming in pain and trying to rip the razor-sharp objects from their bleeding necks, Renegade grabbed the third one and, holding his head securely, crushed her lips to his. He struggled for a moment before he lost the fight. Renegade flung him to the ground and grabbed both her daggers again, turning to face the rest of the Monsters.

"Get out of here; we can handle this," she said to the frozen humans, her enemies' blood dripping from her fingers.

Still none of them seemed to be able to leave, except Sarah, who ran towards the gate. Then there came the cry from Wingman that sent them all scurrying after her: Reaper had arrived. Renegade opened her wings and flipped backwards so she was only a few feet away from the open gateway. She kept her wings spread open, ever bit of her ready to defend. Sarah went through the gateway first, her parents following. Chazz was next, just as more Monsters began pouring towards them. Bastion caught a glimpse of two identical knights, each carrying a long and very dangerous sword before he too opted out. Zane and Atticus followed him, still watching the battle with grim faces as they stepped through. Only Alexis, Syrus and Jaden remained. Alexis and Syrus didn't want to leave Jaden and Jaden didn't want to leave Renegade. Too afraid to talk, Alexis grabbed Jaden's arm and pulled as the heroine in front of them began to fight off oncoming Monsters.

Finally Jaden moved backwards, his eyes wide as he watched his heroine single-handedly fight off a horde of Monsters. All three of them were just about to step through the now closing gateway when Reaper yelled something to Renegade. It sounded like a 'get out of the way and let us through or else' sort of ultimatum. Renegade only snarled in response, her hands curling into fists. Jaden's heart nearly stopped when he saw that action; it meant her daggers were gone. Reaper grinned _his _grin and suddenly the twin knights flew at Reni, their swords at the ready. Unarmed but refusing to leave Jaden, Renegade stood tall and proud; the savagely beautiful barrier between the humans and their death. His blood froze in his veins as he saw the rushing Monsters head towards her. His brain was telling him what would happen, but he refused to believe it. His knees began to shake and then, with a sort of dream-like quality, Renegade turned her head and gave him a smile. It was the last thing he saw before he was pulled through the gateway, and that smile tore his heart out as he heard Reni sing the last two lines of her haunting lullaby in his head.

_And on that night fate made you die _

_Once upon a December _

As soon as he felt solid ground beneath his feet his shaking legs gave way, forcing him to his knees. He left himself like that, staring at nothing, his eyes wide and his entire body shaking. He heard shouts of alarm and questions all around him, but he did not respond, Then there was the hushed sounds of Syrus and Alexis explaining, and he shut them out, not wanting to listen. His shaking hands went to his waist and his eyes lowered. For a moment he stared at what he had in his hand and then the sobs started, tearing through his entire body and he could see no more.

"Jaden, she's probably alright," Alexis tried to sooth him, a catch in her voice.

He shook his head, his heart breaking as he did. She tried again to tell him those soothing, but untrue words and he numbly showed her the thing he held in his hand. Alexis's voice caught and she began to tremble as she saw. At the questions she turned towards the others with tears in her eyes.

"It's Renegade's card," she whispered. "It's blank. She's… She's really…"

At her confirmation Jaden dropped the card and curled up in his misery. For ages he sat there, sobbing and remembering things that cut him deeply on the inside; her smell, her gentle touch, the look in her eyes when she looked at him, the playfulness, the savage beauty she was when fighting, her voice… He didn't know who else was crying, although he knew Alexis had shed some tears as well. Nobody tried to get him to leave and there was almost silence in the little clearing where they had landed.

Then, after a long time Jaden's tears stopped and instead he took deep, steadying breaths. Sniffing slightly, he picked up Renegade's card and stood up. Walking forward a few steps, he activated his Duel Disc and then went through his deck, placing a few cards on it. The holograms of his Elemental Heroes appeared and after a moment Burstinatrix flung her arms around Jaden and held him. The others were there too, all of them very sombre. Finally Jaden was released, and he held Reni's blank card out to the fire heroine.

"She told me," he explained in a slightly broken voice.

Burstinatrix nodded and took the card. The Heroes stood in a circle around Trix as she held Renegade's card in her hand.

"This is the way she wanted it," Burstinatrix said in a soft voice.

Then she burned the card. Everybody stared at the flaming card on her palm, nobody moving or making any noise. Sparkman's head was bowed and Bubbleman was sniffing. As the fire started to go out, Avian pulled out one of his feathers and let it burn with her card in tribute.

"Her memory will never leave any of us," he said as softly as Burstinatrix.

When there was only a pile of ashes in her palm, Burstinatrix held her hand in front of Jaden. He bowed his head over them, let one tear fall into them, and then took a deep breath and blew. The ashes scattered and Avian beat his wings so they swirled upwards and floated away. They all watched them go, silent. Then Sparkman handed Jaden a box.

"She would have wanted you to have this for sure," he said.

The boy nodded numbly and took the box before gently taking the cards off his Duel Disc and putting them away. The rest of his friends joined him, Syrus placing a hand on his shoulder. Jaden opened the box and gently took out Renegade's mobile. Gently he sent the bears spinning in their last dance.

-x-x-x-

The sun was setting, making the water reflect millions of shades of orange and red. Jaden was paddling his feet in the water when his friends found him. For five days he had been as withdrawn as he had been in the hospital, but they were hoping that him getting out was a good sign. Syrus was the one to walk forward and kneel next to his friend. They hadn't spoken for those five days at all, and now he asked the question on everybody's lips.

"Jay, you okay?"

Jaden continued to look at the water for a second before he turned to his small friend and smiled.

"Yeah, Sy. Sorry I freaked out for a while. But it's all good now."

"We're all going to miss her. Not as much as you but…"

"Yeah, I know. Somehow she was still loveable even with her…"

"Personality?"

"I was going to say antagonism, but that works better," Jaden laughed. His smile grew a little sadder. "I accept she had to go. I really wish she could have stayed but… It was just in her nature. And that chapter of life is properly closed now; no more ghosts."

"We heard Sarah won her last competition; she's in the finals now," Atticus spoke up and Jaden nodded. "Do you think, after it all she…?"

"I really dunno. I'd say I doubt it but… I've learnt anything can happen. Besides," he grinned now. "it doesn't really matter; I get to stay here."

"Crowler will be over the moon," Chazz said dryly and everybody laughed.

"So what crazy stuff are you going to get into next year?" Bastion asked him, amused.

"Nothing!" Jaden replied. "I think I've had my share of crazy to last a lifetime."

"We'll see," Alexis replied, pulling Jaden to his feet. "Now come on, let's go eat."

Jaden grinned and followed them only stopping for a second to look back as a solitary black feather fell through the air and began to float on the sun-streaked water.


End file.
